


The One with the Red Sweater

by JiniZ



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel, Alpha Gabriel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Baby Shower, Be kind please, Beta Charlie Bradbury, Beta Jo, Daddy!Kink, Declarations Of Love, Eventual Smut, F/F, Friends AU, Giving Birth, I love the thought of Dean and Cas having the Ross/Rachel fight, Lesbian Sex, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mpreg, Omega Dean, Omega Sam, Pregnancy, Slow-ish burn, Unplanned Pregnancy, We Were On A Break!, author has zero clue how to tag, happy ending istfg, my first a/b/o, not graphic though, so much sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-06-08 16:41:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 44,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6863884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JiniZ/pseuds/JiniZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean looks at the test again. And again. And again. He stares at it in disbelief. How the hell did this happen? Well, he <i>knows</i>, but still. </p><p>He throws the test in the garbage and covers it up with some wadded up toilet paper just in case Sam sees it. Dean will just have to take the test again. It could be a false positive. He’s heard of that happening before. It’s not common, but it can happen. Yeah. That’s right. It’s a false positive. </p><p>There is no way in hell Dean Winchester is pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The One Where Dean Finds Out

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.tumblr.com) for reminding me of the Friends episodes _The One After I Do_ , and _The One with the Red Sweater_ , where everyone learns Rachel is pregnant and try to figure out who the father is when she stays mum.

Dean looks at the test again. And again. And again. He stares at it in disbelief. How the hell did this happen? Well, he  _ knows,  _ but still. 

He throws the test in the garbage and covers it up with some wadded up toilet paper just in case Sam sees it. Dean will just have to take the test again. It could be a false positive. He’s heard of that happening before. It’s not common, but it can happen. Yeah. That’s right. It’s a false positive. 

There is no way in hell Dean Winchester is pregnant. 

He exits the bathroom and heads to get his coat to walk down to the Rite Aid at the end of the block and pauses. No. He can’t go there. He’s always in there and all the pharmacists know him. The pregnancy tests and lube and condoms are all right in front of the pharmacists’ window, so he never buys his supply there because he’s got a bit of a hang up about them knowing about his sex life. He’ll have to go to the Walgreen’s instead. 

On his way there, a thousand thoughts go through his mind. What if he is pregnant? Then what? Does he have the pup? Does he abort? Does he even tell the father? Can he handle having a pup alone? Will the father be supportive? 

_ Of course he will,  _ Dean thinks.  _ He’d wait on me hand and foot.  _ And that thought just makes Dean angry. He’s not some barefoot and pregnant Omega from thirty years ago. He’s independent, damnit. Always has been. Always will be. That thought makes him stand straighter as he walks. If he does this, he’ll do it on his own terms. To hell with what society thinks an Omega should be. 

By the time he makes it to the Walgreen’s, Dean has sung through the chorus of  _ Survivor  _ twice, and he is convinced he can do anything.  Beyoncé never fails to put him in a better mood. 

He makes his way to the condom/lube/pregnancy test section and grabs the store brand one off the bottom shelf. Then he thinks maybe he should buy the name brand because it’ll be more accurate.  _ Fuck it,  _ he thinks as he grabs both. He’ll pee on everything he can to make sure.  _ God, I sound like an Alpha marking his territory.  _

He heads back toward the register but stops when he realizes that the cashier will be looking at him with a disapproving eye. He’s not wearing a wedding ring, and an unmated Omega is still frowned upon. He looks down at his hands and decides to switch his mother’s ring to his other hand for the time being.  _ Sorry, Mom,  _ he thinks as he makes the transfer. 

There is only one person ahead of him at the register, but bless her heart, she’s old and slow. Dean tries not to be impatient, but when he starts tapping the pregnancy tests together, she turns to look at him, and he blushes at being caught.

“Isn’t that sweet,” she says noticing the tests. “Your first?” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Dean says. 

“Nothing to be nervous about. Either it is or it isn’t. Not much you can do to change anything.” The cashier tells her the total due and she turns back to her purse, searching for cash. 

Dean swallows thickly. That wasn’t exactly the advice he was looking for. Maybe a  _ you’ll be fine, dear,  _ would have sufficed, but what she said isn’t helping his nerves. At all. He has to remind himself not to tap the boxes. Or his toes on the floor. He needs to hold still and not draw any attention to himself.

The woman ahead of him finally manages to pay the cashier and sets her bags in the small cart. She turns back to Dean and says, “Your husband is a lucky man. You’re pretty.” And she turns to go, leaving Dean at a loss for words.

“Hey,” Dean says as he steps up to the cashier and sets the tests down on the counter. He eyes a Kit Kat bar next to the register and puts that on the counter, too. 

“I saw you,” the cashier says, disdain dripping from her voice.

“I’m sorry?” Dean looks around to make sure she’s not talking to anyone else, but he’s the only one at the counter.

“I saw you switch your ring.” 

“I don’t -”

The cashier points to the security mirror in the corner. “You’re not mated.” She practically spits out her words. “Just what the world needs. Another unwed, pregnant Omega living off the dole.”

“Wow. Okay, then.” Dean pulls out his wallet and tosses a twenty on the counter. He grabs the tests and heads out the door, ignoring the security alarm that goes off. He doesn’t care if they come after him. He kind of wishes he’d had his camera out to film her, but he’s pretty sure that he’d be the one to be excoriated on-line.

Now that he’s walking back home, he realizes he doesn’t have a bag for the tests. He sighs and stuffs them in his jacket, hoping he can keep them in place with his elbows. He switches his ring back to his right hand and sighs. His good, well  _ okay _ , mood is gone. He quickens his pace so he can get home and pee on his sticks. 

By the time he gets there, he realizes he’s got two packs of two tests, so he’s got four sticks to pee on. He seems to remember hearing that they worked best with the first pee of the day, but he’s not sure he can wait that long over four days. But then again, maybe if he waits and does one a day for four days, he’ll know for sure. 

_ Dumbass,  _ he mentally calls himself.  _ If you’re pregnant one day, you’re pregnant the next.  _ He sighs and calls out to his brother to see if he’s made it home from school yet. “Sam?” Nothing. He looks at his watch. Three twenty-five. He’s got about thirty-five minutes until Sam gets home, so he heads to the bathroom.

He rips open the first package and pulls out the test. He puts the other test and unopened box under the sink behind the bleach, and again buries the wrapper under the toilet paper in the wastebasket. 

After about three minutes of trying to pee again, Dean decides he needs to run his fingers under some warm water. He turns on the tap and waits for it to warm up. “How the hell did this become my life?” he asks his reflection. “Oh, right. You wanted to get your rocks off.” He scoffs at himself, and tests the flow from the tap. It’s warm enough, so he sticks his index and middle fingers under the flow. After another minute, he thinks he can pee again.

He places the cap back on the test, sets it on the sink and waits. He knows how these tests work: an immunoassay strip, a pad to absorb the pee, and reaction zone, test zone, and control zone. Pee on the pad, the urine crawls up the strip, and any present hCG hormones get tag-teamed by antibodies in the reaction zone. If there’s enough hCG in the urine, a line shows up in the test zone; if there’s not, no line shows up. Either way, a line should be present in the control zone. 

Dean needs to be patient to ensure the control zone line shows up. His rational mind knows this. He knows he’s supposed to wait three full minutes to get a proper reading, but he stares at the little window, watching his pee crawl up the stick. As he sits on the toilet, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together, his foot bounces impatiently.

Slowly, his urine creeps up the test and it passes the reaction zone.  _ Just a little more,  _ he thinks. He takes a few deep breaths to calm his nerves as he watches the urine pass into the test zone. He looks down at the floor just as it does. 

He knows that if this second test shows up positive, he really doesn’t need to take the third. Or the fourth and fifth, even though he probably will anyway. Who is he kidding? He’s going to pee on every single one of them first thing tomorrow when his urine is at its most concentrated just to make sure. 

He’s sat for longer than three minutes, the left side of his body shaking from his bouncing leg. It feels oddly comforting. He’s lost in the sensation, letting himself stare at the floor, vision going fuzzy at the edges. He’s vaguely aware that he needs to stop and actually look at the test again, but he’s just not ready yet. 

“Dean?”

Dean whips his head up, suddenly thrust into the present as his brother calls his name.  _ Shit.  _ How long had he sat there? His watch tells him twenty minutes.  _ Fuck.  _ He shouldn’t have let time get away from him. “In here,” he replies, hoping Sam will ignore him for a bit. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. You didn’t answer at first.”

“Sorry. Just distracted.”

“Ew. Gross.” 

“I’m not - Just go away, Sam.” Dean wait for Sam’s footsteps to disappear down the hallway before looking at the test again. 

Positive. 

“Goddamnit,” Dean says under his breath. He crams the test in the trash, does a cursory flush, and runs the water so Sam thinks he’s washed his hands. He opens the door to exit and almost runs into his brother, startling him for the second time in almost as many minutes. 

“You cleaned off all the spooge, right?” 

“I wasn’t...Fine. Yes. Okay?” His words are tense, but Sam doesn’t call him on it as he pushes around his brother and into the hall.

Sam scents the air as his brother passes, immediately noticing Dean’s apprehension. He sticks his hand out and stops his brother with a touch to his bicep. “Hey,” he says, quieter. “You okay? I can smell - ”

“I’m fine,” Dean says automatically. It’s at least partially true. He  _ is  _ fine. Except for that whole being pregnant thing. He notes the look Sam give him. “Sammy, I’m fine. Really.”

Sam furrows his brow like he doesn’t quite believe him. “Okay,” he says. “You’ll let me know if something’s wrong, right?”

“Of course, bitch.” Dean heads to the kitchen for a drink. 

“Jerk,” Sam automatically tosses back at him. “You ready for tonight?”

Dean drops his head. He’d forgotten their friends were coming over for their monthly game night. He wonders if he can make up an excuse and beg out of it. “I dunno, Sam. I’m not feeling that great. Can we skip this month?”

“No!” Sam shouts as he comes skidding into the kitchen. “We can’t!” 

“Whoa! Why not?” Sam blushes but doesn’t answer. “Sammy?” He leans against the counter and crosses his arms, his Big Brother mode kicking into overdrive. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Okay, but don’t get mad….” Sam puts his hands up as if he’s already calming Dean down. 

“Oh, God. What?” 

“Gabriel is coming tonight.” 

Dean throws his hands up in the air. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“I know you guys don’t really get along -”

“Understatement.”

“ - but I really like him, and I’d like to see if there may be something there.”

Dean sighs wearily. “Fine. I’ll play nice. But if he starts anything -”

“He won’t. I promise.” Sam crosses his heart with his fingers like he’s five. “And if he tries, I’ll stop it.”

“Yeah, fine. But I’m holding you to that.”

“Absolutely.” 

**~oOo~**

While they wait for their friends to come over, Sam finishes his homework, and Dean throws together a quick stir fry for their dinner. He tries not to think too much as he chops the peppers and onion, but he fails miserably.

What if that cashier had been right? Does he need a mate? Can he do this on his own? What will Bobby say? Probably call him an idjit and smack him upside the head, but ultimately he’ll be supportive. How does Dean work at the garage with a pregnant belly? He won’t be able to bend over hoods or slide under carriages to work on anything.  _ Shit.  _

And the next thing Dean knows, there’s a tear sliding down his face. If Sam sees, he’s blaming it on the onion. He wipes his cheek with the back of his hand. His life is over now. Despite all the precautions, he’s pregnant. A twenty-four year old unmated, pregnant Omega. 

He wishes his mom was still alive so he could talk to her. Mary always knew just what to say to make Dean feel better, and he misses her terribly. Six years and the pain of her passing sill sits on his chest like a weight sometimes.  _ I’m sorry, Mom, _ he thinks as he laughs because she’d tell him not to be sorry. They’d figure it out. Whatever was best for him.

Dean tosses the veggies in the pan, listening to their sizzle as they hit the butter. He gives them a push with the spatula and turns down the heat. As they simmer, he slices the meat he marinated earlier. As he does, a wave of nausea passes over him. He fights it off, but another couple of breaths, and it hits full force and the next thing he knows, he’s gagging over the sink.  _ Already,  _ he thinks. 

“Dean?” 

_ Dammit, Sam,  _ he thinks. He turns his head in the opposite direction from the meat. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Just didn’t like the smell of the soy sauce is all.”

Sam enters the kitchen. “Soy sauce doesn’t go bad.” Sam sniffs the meat. “It smells okay. How old is the bottle?” He he asks as he stirs the vegetables. 

Dean thinks for a moment. “Maybe six months? I’m not sure.”

“It should be fine.” He sniffs again, as does Dean, who makes a gagging sound again. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I guess. Something about it is off to me.” he says. 

Sam nudges Dean away from the stove. “Let me finish up.” Sam slices the steak quickly. He motions to Dean for a plate and giving the veggies one last stir, plates them so the meat can cook. 

Dean resigns himself to being a helper. He hands the plate to Sam and sits. He listens to meat cook and the dull scrape of the silicone spatula in the pan. The smell of it cooking doesn’t bother him, though.  _ Maybe it was just the straight soy sauce _ , he thinks. He zones out a little and doesn’t hear Sam talking to him at first.

“....with a goofy smile on his face. Just please be nice,” Sam says. 

Dean shakes his head. “What?”

Sam sighs. “You’re really out of it today. Did you get high on your day off or something?”

“What? No. I just...I’m distracted is all.”  _ Isn’t that the truth.  _

“Care to talk about it?” Sam asks over his shoulder. 

“Nah. It’s nothing.” Dean decides for a quick change of subject. “I’m not going to have to watch you throw yourself at Gabriel tonight, am I?”

“No more than you throw yourself at Cas.”

_ Ouch. _

“Cas and I are -”

“Just friends,” Sam finishes. “You keep saying those words, but I don’t think they mean what you think they mean.” 

“Sam -”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You tried it once. You broke up, he ‘cheated’ on you -” Sam uses air quotes.

“He did!” Dean cries.

“Dean, you broke up with him and tossed him out!”

“He shouldn’t -”

Sam whirls around and brandishes the spatula at Dean. “And when you found out he didn’t sit there and pine for you like you expected him to, you broke up with him again. You need to just get over this. It’s been four years.” Sam spins back around to the stir fry, not even giving Dean a chance to answer.

The thing is, Dean knows Sam’s right. As much as he wants to blame Cas 100% for their split, it was Dean’s fault to begin with. He’s the one who suggested they take a break from each other for a while after Cas showed up at the garage with a picnic lunch for their anniversary.

In hindsight, it had been a really sweet gesture, but Dean was having a shit day at work and Cas showing up, getting in Dean’s way just pushed him to the edge. He’d told Cas to go home in no uncertain terms, and by the time he got back to the downstairs apartment Cas shared with his brother, Dean was ready to tell Cas that he was being smothered and needed space. They needed to take a break. 

The look on Cas’ face when Dean left….he looked like a wounded puppy. By the time he’d gotten home, Dean knew that he’d be apologizing to Cas in the morning. 

And he had. He’d apologized profusely, telling Cas that his day was just so shitty and Cas showing up unexpectedly was the proverbial straw. Cas understood and they ended up reconciling.

For all of about sixteen hours.

What Dean hadn’t counted on was Cas being hurt enough to go out with Gabriel and get hammered enough to sleep with another Omega. Hadn’t counted on that Omega still being at Cas’ apartment when Dean showed up in the morning.

When Cas opened the door, he was freshly showered, his hair still wet and only wearing a pair of worn jeans. It was because of this that Dean didn’t notice the smell of another Omega in the house. While the shower had been running, he assumed it was Gabriel. 

Dean apologized to Cas for being kind of a dick the night before and Cas accepted. Dean tentatively asked if they really weren’t broken up, and the Alpha agreed. They kissed and Cas said he needed to get to the office and promised Dean that they’d see each other later that day. 

Dean headed to work, too, stopping at his favorite coffee shop where he ran into Gabriel. “Hey, man.” He said to Cas’ brother. 

“Hey, Dean-o!” Gabriel replied. “How’s it hangin’?” 

It was then that Dean realized that Gabriel was standing in the coffee shop and most definitely not in the shower back at the apartment.

Gabriel must have noticed the color drain from Dean’s face. “Dean?” Gabriel asked. “You okay?”

Dean swallowed thickly. “Who is he?” he asked quietly.

“Who?”

“Who was in the shower this morning?” Dean balled his fists at his side. Anger washed over him, the scent filling the shop. 

“What are you – Oh.  _ Oh _ .” Gabriel took a step back.

Dean followed the shorter Alpha. “Who was it, Gabriel?” 

“Dean, I can’t.” 

His anger at full capacity, Dean grabbed Gabriel by the lapels of his jacket and yanked him so that they were nose to nose. “Who. Was it?”

“Inias.” Dean releases him and Gabriel lets out a breath. 

“Inias,” Dean repeats. He stares out the window for a moment and quickly turns, leaving the shop. He couldn’t face Cas again, so he went to work, throwing himself into the toughest job available, growling like an Alpha at anyone who dared disturb him.

Dean turned off his phone so if anyone, especially Cas, tried to call him, too bad. He was pissed. At the mere suggestion of a break, Cas had gone and gotten laid. He supposed Cas couldn’t be trusted if that was the first thing he did.  

When he got home that night, Sam, Cas, Gabriel, Charlie, and Jo were all waiting for him. “Some sort of intervention?” he deadpanned. 

“Dean –“ Cas began.

He held up his finger, silencing him. “Don’t. You do not get to talk to me.” And he stormed off to his room, Cas hot on his heels. 

The ensuing fight had been epic. Dean threw books at Cas who kept trying to appeal to Dean’s rational side. “Rational? You want me to be rational? You FUCKED another Omega!”

“We were on a break!” Cas shouted. 

It had taken them six months before Dean could stand to even be in the same room with Cas and another three before he could talk to him cordially.

Dean is jolted back to the present when Sam sets a plate of food in front of him. “Thanks.” He gives it an experimental sniff and doesn’t think he’s going to be sick again, so he starts to eat.

“You sure you’re okay, Dean? You’ve been kind of weird since I’ve gotten home.”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Been a strange day is all.”

“It’s not because Gabriel is coming over, is it? Because if it is, I can figure out another way to hang out with him.”

“What? No, Sammy. It’s not because of your douchebag crush.”

“Hey!”

Dean smiles at that. “Thanks for finishing the cooking. I don’t know what came over me.”  _ Except for being knocked up _ . Dean’s actually a little surprised that Sam can’t scent any change in him yet, but it’s probably too early for any big hormonal changes yet.

They finish eating and Dean says he’s going to take a nap before the gang comes over because game night usually runs into the wee hours of the morning. He flips off Sam’s suggestion that he’s getting old and retreats to his room. 

He lays on the bed, staring at the ceiling again. He thinks he really should try to get some sleep, so he curls up on his side, pulling the comforter over himself. 

Sleep comes quicker than anticipated, though, and he drifts off easily.


	2. The One where Jo Is the Smartest Person Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang comes over for game night which doesn't end well. Jo finds the pregnancy test in the garbage and confronts Dean about it.

When he wakes, it’s dark out. He glances at the clock: 8:30. _Shit._ He hears the muffled voices filtering down the hall and he knows he’s missed the start of game night. _Better go find out what they’re playing,_ he thinks as he yawns and runs his hands through his hair even though he’s sure it’s a lost cause.

"You can’t do that!” he hears Charlie exclaim.

“The hell I can’t,” Gabriel replies.

“I’m already farming the land. See? It goes around the river.”

“Fine. Then I’ll just claim this city.” Dean is certain Gabriel is pouting.

They’re playing his favorite game, _Carcassonne,_ without him. So help him, if Gabriel is playing with the red meeples, there’s going to be an issue.

Dean reaches the end of the short hallway and takes in the sight of his friends huddled around the coffee table. Sam and Charlie sit on the sofa while Jo and Gabriel take the floor. The only one of the friend group that’s missing is Cas. Dean sighs to himself, louder than he meant to, and they all turn to him.

“Well, look who’s up!” Jo says. She throws a chip in his direction, but it only makes it about a foot and a half. Gabriel scoops it off the floor and pops it in his mouth. “Ew. Gross.”

Gabriel rolls his eyes. “Five second rule.”

Sam smiles at his brother. “I thought you were gonna sleep all night.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Dean plunks himself down in the papasan and scrutinizes the tiles on the table. The red meeples aren’t in play. _Good._

“I was gonna,” Sam says. “I sent Charlie in there to get you.”

Charlie nods. “You looked so peaceful and Sam said you weren’t feeling well, so I let you sleep.”

Gabriel snorts. “Sleeping fucking beauty.”

“Shut it,” Dean warns.

“What? I always said you’re a Disney princess. This isn’t news, Dean-o.”

Dean ignores him. “Who’s winning?”

“I think Sam is,” Jo says. Sam holds up a points scored tile that’s flipped to 100.

He points to the biggest city on the board. “I just completed that city.”

“Which _I_ am farming,” Charlie says, looking directly at Gabriel, who sticks his tongue out at her.

“Oh, my God. Stop flirting you two,” Jo says. She throws another chip, this time at Charlie, who catches it, crushes it in her hand, and sprinkles the crumbs over her slice of chocolate cake. Jo makes a face at her girlfriend but says nothing.

“I call break.” Sam stands  and heads toward the kitchen as the girls stretch and Gabriel attempts to cheat while no one is looking. “Beer, Dean?” he calls over his shoulder.

“Nah. I’m good. Maybe later.” He waves off Sam who doesn’t think anything of it. Gabriel on the other hand….

“Not drinking? What are you? Pregnant?” He huffs a laugh at his own joke.

If he actually were drinking anything at that moment, Dean Winchester would have done an actual spit-take. As it was, he tried to say no so quickly that he triggered a coughing fit. He doubles over trying to get control of it, and Gabriel claps him hard on the back a couple of times. Dean waves him off.

“You okay, Handmaiden?” Charlie asks, referencing his LARPing character. “Need some water?”

Dean shakes his head and coughs a few more times. “I’m good.” he manages to choke out.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” He points a finger at Gabriel. “Not. Funny.”

Gabriel laughs. “Oh, it was hilarious.”

Sam comes back in with two beers and sets one in front of Dean. “Just in case.” he says. He sits and ruffles Gabriel’s hair. “You need to stop before he punches you.” Gabriel rolls his eyes.

“Sam -”

Charlie grabs the bottle and takes a swig. “Mine. Can we get back to the game?”

“In a sec,” Jo says. “Gotta filter the oyster.” She hops up and bounds to the bathroom.

“Your girlfriend is disgusting,” Dean says to Charlie.

“I think I’m in love.” Gabriel makes heart eyes down the hall. Sam nudges him with his foot. “Sorry, Samsquatch. She’s beautifully crude.”

“Back off my Beta, little man.” Charlie threatens.

Gabriel holds up his hands in submission. “Hey! You know I don’t swing that way. Nothing but Omegas for me, babe.” He pats Sam’s knee, and Sam blushes to his roots.

“You guys dating now?” Charlie asks, eyeing the two of them.

“No.” Sam says, ducking his head, avoiding her scrutiny.

“Do you want to be?” Gabriel asks. “Cos I have it on good authority that I kinda like you.”

“That’s how you ask my brother out?” Dean asks. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I suppose it’s better than how you asked out Castiel.”

The room goes quiet, and Dean’s head swims with anger. Gabriel knows that no one is supposed to talk about his relationship with Cas. It’s the unwritten rule of their friend group. He narrows his eyes at the smaller man. “What?” It’s about the only word he can spit out without saying something he’ll instantly regret.

Sam puts his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “Dean.” He warns. “He didn’t mean anything by it. You know that.”

“Out.” Dean points to the door. “Get out, Gabriel.” He is not going to deal with this asshat right now.

The Alpha stands. “Fine. I’ll call you later, Sam.” He heads to the door.

“Gabriel, wait.” Sam flashes Dean a bitchface and follows Gabriel out the door, probably headed the next floor down to Gabe and Cas’ apartment.

The door slams just as Jo comes back from the bathroom. “Whoa. What’d I miss?”

Dean scrubs a hand over his face, ignoring her. Charlie answers, “Gabriel said something stupid, Dean threw him out. Sam followed.”

“Oh. Typical game night. All righty then.” Her voice is soft, though, so as not to make the situation any worse.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Charlie asks quietly.

“No.” Dean’s tone is firm. No way in hell he’s talking about Cas right now. Yes, they’re civil, but Cas still avoids game night even four years down the road.

Taking a deep breath to change the subject, Charlie tells Jo, “Gabriel asked Sam out. You missed that.”

“Finally!” Jo says. “It’s about damn time. They’ve been dancing around each other at least six months now.”

Dean’s happy for Sam. He really is. He know the kid likes Gabriel no matter how much of a pain in the ass he is to Dean. And it’s not that he really dislikes Gabriel, it’s just that Gabe gets on his nerves more than anyone in their friend group. He supposed he should make more of an effort now that he’s dating his kid brother.

He must have zoned out again because when he registers that someone is talking, Jo is almost finished.

“...found in the bathroom.”

 _Oh, fuck. Did she find the tests? The boxes? What was she doing in there? I should be paying more attention._ “Do what now?” he asks, his mouth dry. He sees that Charlie’s brow is furrowed, so Jo didn’t come right out and say what she found. Good.

“Well, I was gonna say it’s Sam’s, but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say it’s yours, Dean.”

“It’s not.” He has no idea what she’s talking about. Better just straight up deny it, no matter what it is.

“Dean.” Her voice is soft and loving, just how she gets when she knows he’s lying about something big. The perils of having grown up with her; she knows him better than he knows himself.

He sighs. May as well get it over with. Like a Band-Aid. Quick and painless. Only he knows that’s a crock of shit. There’ always hair caught in the adhesive and it hurts like hell. “What’d you find, Jo?”

“I think you know.”

God, he’s not playing this fucking game. His voice takes on a warning tone. “Jo. What did you find.”

She doesn’t say anything and they stare at each other for a few moments, Dean daring her to say it with just a look. “Will _someone_ please say something?” Charlie says.

“Dean.”

“Jo.”

“Dean’s pregnant.”

“Son of a bitch.”

Charlie, God love her, doesn’t actually say anything, just takes a long pull from her bottle. She looks a little shell shocked.

“Did you feel the need to go digging through the garbage?”

“I didn’t! The stick was right on top!”

“I buried it under a ton of paper. There’s no way you could have found it without digging.”

“Well, then, something shifted because I could see the top of the stick on the side of the can.”

“How do you even know what a pee stick looks like?”

“I may be a Beta, but I’m still a girl, dumbass. I’ve peed on a few sticks in my lifetime.”

“I did not need to know that.” Charlie says, taking another long swig from her beer.

“You wanna talk about this?” Jo asks.

“Not really.” Which is the understatement of the century. Dean really does _not_ want to talk about getting knocked up, but he’s also fairly certain that Jo isn’t going to let the matter drop. He’s just waiting for her to ask about the father.

“Too bad.” she says defiantly. “We’re talking about it anyway.”

Charlie puts her hand on Jo’s arm. “Honey, if he doesn’t want to talk about it -”

Jo gets right to the point. “Who’s the father?”

Dean slumps back into the papasan and stares at the ceiling. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters. You’re going to tell him, right?”

“Jo, I don’t even know if I’m going to have this pup yet.”

“What? Of course you are. It’s not even a question.” Jo’s certainty scares him.

“How did this happen?” Charlie asks. Dean thinks she looks at him with pity in her eyes.

“Well, you know. You can do everything right and it still happens, right?”

“I thought you were on suppressants.”

“I am. And we used a condom. It still happened.” The chances of getting pregnant outside your heat? Next to nothing, but it still happens sometimes. Just like those high school kids who swear they never had penetrative sex who don’t know that sperm can swim.

“God, this is huge!” Charlie sits forward with her elbows on her knees. “Like really huge, Dean.”

He shrugs. As if he didn’t know how huge this is.

“Are you sure you’re pregnant?” she asks. He and Jo just look at her, confused. “How many tests did you take? What if it’s a false positive?”

Jo points her finger at her girlfriend and then at Dean. “Ooh! Good point!”

“Guys, I peed on two sticks. I’ve still got three more in the bathroom.”

Charlie stands, determined. “Then let’s go. You’re peeing on another stick to make sure.”

Jo scrambles to her feet. “We all will! We’ll all pee on a stick. We’ll pee in solidarity.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” The girls each offer a hand to him to pull him up and out of the papasan. He knows he’s not going to win this because, well. Charlie and Jo. They yank him up and gently guide him to the hallway.

They all crowd into the bathroom and Dean digs out the other sticks he’d stashed earlier. He rips open the box and hands each of them a foil wrapped test. “Who’s going first?”

“We should do this together.” Charlie says. “All at once.”

“How the hell do we do that? There’s only one bathroom in this apartment.”

“Jo, would you go get a couple of cups from the kitchen? We’ll each pee in a cup, dip our stick in it, so we can all have the results at the same time.”

“On it!” And Jo is off to the kitchen.

“You’ll be okay, Dean. No matter what.” Charlie reaches for his hand.

“Thank you.”

Jo announces her presence with her casual, “Okay, bitches!” and hands them each a cup. “Whoever pees first put their cup on the left of the sink. Second, next to that, and third on the right.”

“Me first!” And Charlie pushes the others out of the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

As they stand in the hall waiting for Charlie, Dean is eternally grateful for Jo’s silence. She’s the one person in the world who knows him as well as Sam, and if she were to open her mouth right now, he may just start crying, even if she told him what a dumbass he was for getting pregnant in the first place. There’s no denying it. He doesn’t have to pee on another stick. He knows damn well he’s pregnant.

Charlie comes out and Jo goes in. She takes his hand and they entwine their fingers. Charlie’s comfort is different than her girlfriend’s, and Dean knows she’s telling him to be strong without a word. She’s always been that way. He pulls her close and they side hug while waiting for Jo.

And then it’s Dean’s turn. He closes the door and looks at the two cups on the sink. He can hear the girls murmuring on the other side of the door, so he does his business quickly so they’ll stop talking about him. He puts his cup on the counter next to theirs and opens the door. He hates that they look at him with pity. Pity for an unwed, pregnant Omega who should know better.

They all crowd back into the bathroom and close the door. “Ready?” Jo asks. They all nod. “Three, two, one.” They dip their sticks and cap them, setting them on the sink in the order the cups were. They pour the rest of the pee down the toilet and toss the cups because, ew. Charlie sits on the toilet, Jo on the tub, and Dean leans against the door.   

Jo sets the timer on her phone. No one says anything for the three minutes it takes for the urine to travel up the strip and into the control zone. Dean mostly looks at his feet since he can’t bring himself to look at his friends. He notices Jo’s hand on Charlie’s knee and smiles.

When Jo’s alarm goes off - literally a voice saying “Beep.” louder and louder - they all look at each other. No one makes a move to look at their stick, though. They all know that Jo’s and Charlie’s will be negative. As Betas, they can’t get pregnant by each other, so unless someone’s been doing something they shouldn’t on the side, their tests don’t matter.

The girls each reach for their test, but Dean can’t bring himself to do it. It’s stupid and pointless because he’s already taken the test twice, so there’s no way the third is going to be any different. He steels himself for the inevitable answer, but just as he reaches for the test, Jo grabs it first. He looks at her, confused.

“I’ll do it for you,” she says.

Dean blows out a breath. “Thank you.” He closes his eyes and nods a couple of times, gathering his courage. “Charlie?”

Charlie looks at her stick. “Negative. As if it would be anything else.”

“I’d have to kick your ass if it were,” Jo says. She looks at her stick. “Negative. You ready, Dean?” He nods. She looks at the test. “It’s negative.”

“What?” Charlie and Dean say in unison.

“Yeah. It’s negative.”

Dean’s mind kicks into overdrive. “Oh. Well there you go. That is really...that’s great news.” He’s not sure what his voice is doing, but he’s both happy and sad. “I mean. I’m not ready to be a dad. I’m not. I can barely keep me and Sam afloat. What would I do with a pup?”

And the next thing he knows, he’s crying. Charlie pulls some toilet paper off the roll and hands it to him. “Dean?”

He takes the paper and wipes his eyes. “I’m happy, right? I’m glad this isn’t happening now. It’s not supposed to.” This should be an absolute relief to him, yet he feels empty. “Why am I crying over this? It’s negative? Really?”

Jo smiles slyly. “No. It’s positive.”

A choked laugh bubbles up from Dean’s throat. “What? It’s positive?”

“Yeah, no. It’s positive. I lied.”

Charlie crowds her girlfriend, pawing for the test in her hand. She manages to yank it away from  Jo and looks at the little windows. “Oh, my God. It is. It’s positive.” Charlie smacks Jo on the arm and hands the test to Dean.

His hand shakes as he takes the test back. There it is. Positive. His third confirmation. “Why would you do that?” he asks quietly.

“Now you know how you really feel about it.” Dean’s not sure if he should kick her or kiss her.

He opts for kiss. Dean grabs Jo’s face and kisses her firmly as she flails for a second and pushes him away. “What the hell, Dean?” She wipes the back of her hand across her mouth in disgust. “You’re practically my brother.” And then it hits her and she grins at him with watery eyes. “Are you really gonna do this?”

Dean nods at her, his hand over his mouth. “Yeah.” He smiles at them. “I’m gonna have a pup,” he says quietly. “I’m gonna have a pup,” he repeats just a little louder. “I’m gonna have a pup!”

His enthusiasm is catching because the next thing he knows, Jo and Charlie have embraced him in one of the tightest hugs he’s ever had.


	3. The One Where Sam Knows Something Is Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam thinks he knows what's up. He doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I said how much I love you guys for actually reading this thing? I do. "I love you each. I love you all." (apologies to [Metatron-The-Transformer](http://www.tumblr.metatron-the-transformer.com).)
> 
> Also, I can't love up enough on [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.tumblr.com). She's become my muse, my beta, and my cheerleader for this fic. She's my BeMuseDer. That's totally a thing now. Shut up.

Dean wakes slowly on Saturday morning, rolling gingerly in bed just in case he has any morning sickness.  _ So far, so good.  _ Either yesterday’s bout was an anomaly, or he needs to stay away from soy sauce for the time being. 

The bedside clock tells him it’s eight thirty, but he’s certain he’s awake for the duration, so he swings his legs around and gets out of bed. He touches his belly and smiles for the thousandth time since Jo tricked him into thinking his test was negative. 

As he makes his way to the kitchen for his first cup of coffee, he notices Sam’s door is closed, so he knows his brother came home last night. At least he won’t have to go to Gabe’s apartment down stairs and punch the Alpha in the face for defiling his brother.

Once he has the coffee brewing, it occurs to Dean that he may not be able to drink it anymore. He thinks that caffeine may have to be off his list for the duration of the pregnancy. He’s pretty sure, but not totally, so he opens the laptop Sam left on the breakfast table to do a quick search.  

He’s relieved to discover that one or two cups a day won’t harm the pup, but he’ll either have to give up soda all together, or switch to caffeine-free. He’ll have to double-check with his doctor. 

And that thought stops his train of thought immediately.

His doctor. He needs to call his OBGYN on Monday to make an appointment. He’s fairly certain that Doc Braden won’t judge him much. His reasoning is completely based on a guess. He’s never heard her utter a bad word about Omegas in all the years he’d been seeing her. He hopes her opinion of him doesn’t change with his unexpected news. 

The coffee ready, Dean pours himself a cup and goes back to the laptop. He searches for ‘pregnancy week 7’ knowing exactly how far along he is. He hasn’t had sex with anyone since that night. His eyes close as he relives it for just a little bit. The touches, the nips where the mating bite would go, the way he kissed….

Dean is shaken out of his thoughts by a knock at the door. Anyone who knows him knows that it’s still too early for him to be sociable on a Saturday morning. Probably a damn Jehovah's Witness or one of those Mormon kids that come by occasionally trying to convert his heathen ass.

Turns out it’s just Jo. A security breach in a client’s website at three am had Charlie heading to the office to shut out the hacker. Jo came over as soon as she figured it would be safe for Dean to not bite her head off. “How are you feeling? Any morning sickness?” she asks as she pours her own mug of coffee.

“Shhhh. Jesus, Jo. Sam’s home.”

She slides into the chair next to Dean. “He is? He didn’t stay downstairs last night?”

“I’m pretty sure. His door is closed, so I’m going with he’s in there.” 

Jo snickers. “Maybe they broke up already.”

“Don’t toy with my emotions like that, Jo.” Dean scrolls down the baby page and sees what his pup looks like this early in the pregnancy.

“Is that a tadpole?” Jo asks, leaning into Dean’s personal space.

He pushes her off with his elbow. “No, that is not a tadpole. It’s the pup.”

“Bullshit.”

“That’s what it looks like at seven weeks.” He touches the screen with his finger. “See? These are the arm and leg buds, and there’s the start of an eye.” 

“What’s that thing?”

“That’s the yolk sac.”

“Yolk sac? Like a bird egg?”

Dean rolls his eyes at her. “How did you even pass high school?”

“Well, excuse me for not paying attention to the baby stuff. I was more interested in the making of them.”

“Ew. Don’t ever say that to me again.” He grimaces as she laughs at him. 

“Awwww. Look at its little tail. It’s adorable.” 

Neither of them hear Sam padding up the hallway. “Hey, guys” he says. He follows his nose to the coffee pot. “You’re here early, Jo.”

“Security breach.” Sam nods in understanding.

Dean closes the laptop with such force, he’s a little worried it’s broken. He tries to sound casual. “Hey, Sammy. How was your date last night?”

“You mean, how pissed was Gabriel after you threw him out?”

“And you followed him out like a puppy?” 

“Let it go, Dean.”

“Okay. Fine. I’ll play nice.”

“First time for everything,” Jo mutters into her cup. 

Dean notices Sam scrutinizing him, quite possibly even subtly scenting the air. He can’t quite tell. “What? I said I’d play nice.” 

Sam leans on the counter and crosses his legs at the ankles. “Anything you want to tell me, Dean?” 

A little bit of fear radiates off of him, he can smell it. He doesn’t think it’s strong enough, though. “That I don’t like your new boyfriend?” He takes a sip of his coffee in an attempt at casual.

“Guess again,” Sam says with a smirk. He obviously thinks he knows something. 

“Dunno what you want to hear, Sammy.” 

Jo grunts in frustration. “Just tell him, Dean. Get it over with.”

“Yeah, Dean. Just tell me.” Sam grins. 

“Fine,” Dean sighs out as he looks at the ceiling. He really doesn’t want to tell Sam yet. He hasn’t even talked to his doc yet. “I’m pregnant.”

That was definitely not the news Sam had expected as he chokes on his coffee. “You’re what?”

Dean is pissed at Jo. “Dammit, Jo. I didn’t have to do this now. I could’ve eased him into it.” 

“How do you ease someone into being pregnant?” Jo cackles. “You know what? I think I have a pretty good idea.” 

Between Sam’s coughing, Jo’s laughing, and the fact that he didn’t want to do this just yet, Dean feels a headache starting. He leans forward, elbows on the table and rubs his temples. “Fuck this. I’m going back to bed.”

“What? No,” Sam says. “We have to talk about this. What happened?”

“I think you know what happened, Sam.”

“The man swears he used a condom,” Jo supplies helpfully.

“Who’s the father?”

Jo practically pouts that she doesn’t know. “He’s not saying.” 

“Is it Benny?” Sam leans in closer to the table. “It’s Benny isn’t it? Oh, my God, it’s Benny!” 

“It’s not Benny,” Dean insists. “I just don’t want to say anything until I’m positive.”

“You peed on like four sticks yesterday, Dean. Of course you’re pregnant.”

Sam sits next to his brother. “Four? You peed on four sticks? And oh, shit. Is that why you got sick yesterday? And why you took a nap?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Jo asks.

Dean shakes his head. “You really didn’t pay attention in school, did you?” 

“Shut up.”

As they quiet for a minute, Dean is ready to bolt, but he’s started it, so he may as well finish it. “I’m keeping the pup.” 

Sam’s smile is blinding. “Really? You’re keeping it?”

“Yeah, I am,” Dean says quietly. “But before you say anything -”

“Dude! I’m thrilled for you! You’ve always wanted kids. You’re gonna make an awesome dad.” Sam side hugs his brother.

Dean can hardly believe what he’s hearing from Sam. How the hell is his kid brother on board with this? “But what about -?”

Sam holds up a hand and cuts him off. “Look, I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. It’s gonna be hard as hell, but with all the times you’ve had my back over the years, supporting you is the absolute least I can do for you.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jo practically yells. “You’re not gonna tell him what a dumbass he is for getting knocked up, or tell him he’s too young, or that he can’t do this alone, or try to talk him into adoption? None of it?”

“Nope.”

“Fuck.” Jo bangs her head on the table quietly. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I owe Charlie twenty bucks.” 

Dean snickers. “Serves you right, Harvelle. Never bet against the house.” 

“What does that even mean?”

“Doesn’t matter. You lost. Ha!” Dean does a little victory shoulder wiggle. 

“You hanging around for a while, Jo?” Sam asks. “If you are, we can both try to annoy Dean to try to get him to tell us who the father is.” Jo laughs and they high five.

Just what Dean needs. “Guys, look. I don’t want to tell the father until after I’ve seen Doc Braeden, okay?” It’s a perfectly reasonable request.

Sam shakes his head. “You’ve got to tell him before then.”

“What? Why?”

“What if he wants to be involved and come to the appointment with you? You’ve got to give him the choice.”

Dean sighs. Sam’s right. He just didn’t want to have The Talk until he was absolutely certain, no matter what the over-the-counter tests said. “Okay. I’ll tell him today and give him the choice. He doesn’t have to be involved, though. I’m keeping the pup even if he doesn’t.”

“Huh.”  

“What?”

“You’re totally gonna change some guy’s life today. This is big news.” 

“It’s not that big.” 

“No, Sam’s right,” Jo says. “You’re just gonna go knock on his door and be all ‘I’m preggers, you’re the baby daddy.’ You may as well slap him in the face with a fish.”

Dean looks horrified at the suggestion. “The hell, Jo?”

“You’ve got some guy just walking around as usual, and here you come, and suddenly he’s a father.” 

“Well, only if he wants to be,” Dean says. He’s not putting any pressure on him. At all. Dean’s ready to do it all on his own. “Nothing has to change.”

Jo rolls her eyes. “Of course it does. Right now, this guy thinks life is just great. He had sex with Dean Winchester.”

“Who hasn’t?” Sam jokes.

“Shut it, bitch.”

“But the moment you tell him, his life changes forever.” 

She’s right. They both are. Dean was so busy thinking about what it meant for him, he didn’t even think what it meant for the father.  _ Shit.  _ He doesn’t think he can do it at all now. If he never tells him, Dean won’t have to worry about fucking up the father’s life, just his own. 

“Hey,” Sam says, bringing Dean back to the present. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I just have a lot to think about, is all. Just give me some time, okay?” He stands and fluffles Sam’s hair before heading back to his room. “Oh, hey, Sam. What did you think I was hiding from you?”

“I found a Taylor Swift CD in the player.” 

Dean laughs at the absurdity. He almost has the door shut when he hears Jo shout to him.

“Is it Garth?”


	4. The One with the Nudge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo gives Dean the kick in the ass he needs.

_Meet me at The Green Bean at 2pm_.

Dean looks at his phone, wondering what Jo could possibly want out of him - she just left the apartment twenty minutes ago. She’s probably up to something, knowing her.

 _Why?_ he texts back.

_Just do it._

_Fine._

It’s just around lunch time, and Dean had spent the morning trying to come up with the best way to tell the father that he even was a father. How the hell do you break that kind of news to someone when it’s not planned?

_Pass the salt, I’m pregnant._

_The doctor said there’s legs on my gas._

_How many people are in this room?_

Fuck. Maybe he should just hand the guy a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce and let him figure it out on his own.

He’s got more than an hour to kill, so he figures he’ll catch the next ep of _Dr. Sexy_ he’s got on the DVR. Sam had gone downstairs to hang with his new boyfriend - and doesn’t that word make him uncomfortable - so he could enjoy it in peace.

Dean flops on the sofa and snuggles into the plush pillows, turning on the system as he gets comfy. When Dr. Ellen Piccolo announces she may be pregnant not ten minutes into the episode, Dean zones out and touches his belly absentmindedly.

 _There’s a pup in there._ He slides his shirt up a little and pokes at his stomach. He’s never been all that buff, and he’s always had a little pudge there, but that pudge is going to give way to a baby. He places both of his hands on his stomach and slowly caresses it, each hand going in the opposite direction as they make circles on his belly. He smiles happily.

It’s only a minute or two of caressing and awe that the feeling of his own hands on his skin start sending his brain a different signal, and he feels a little bit of slick leak out of his ass. It’s not much, but it’s enough to let him know that if he wants to get off, his body is on board with it.

_Don’t Omegas get horny when they’re pregnant?_

_Shut up and enjoy it._

He likes the rational side of his brain a little less.

Dean’s thoughts end up bouncing back and forth between being horny and being rational, and he loses track of the time, so that when the DVR goes silent at the end of the episode, he’s pissed at himself for having missed the episode _and_ for not masturbating before he has to meet Jo.

Sighing heavily, he hauls himself up off the sofa to put on some actual pants instead of the sweats he’s wearing. As he puts them on, he wonders how long it’ll be before he needs maternity clothes, and if he can find an AC/DC maternity shirt. If not, he’s got a killer idea to market.

When he gets to The Green Bean, he’s still got about fifteen minutes before Jo shows up. He doesn’t want to go in yet because he’s pretty sure he’d be tempted to get his usual honking cup of joe, and decaf is for pussies. _And pregnant Omegas._ So he just sits in the Impala listening to Metallica’s _Enter Sandman_ as he touches his belly again. It’s probably not the best lullaby, but Dean’s never been a traditional Omega anyway.

Suddenly, the passenger side door wrenches open and Jo flops inelegantly into the front seat. He really should know better than to leave the damn door unlocked. She enjoys trying to scare him. “Jesus, Jo.” he says grabbing his chest.

“Lock your fucking doors then, Winchester.”

Dean pinches the bridge of his nose. “What are we doing here?” He looks at her warily when she places a hand on his shoulder. “What?”

“This is your nudge.”

“What nudge?”

“I know who the father is. I called him and asked him to meet you here. Let’s go.”

His head swims for a minute. How can she possibly know? “There’s no way you know.” He hasn’t given any hints at all. He’s sure of it.

“Look. I know you think I’m not the brightest knife in the drawer -”

“Sharpest knife.”

“But I think this belongs to the father.” Jo reaches into her tote and pulls out a lump of red material. She shakes it out to reveal a red sweater.

The father’s red sweater.

Dean swallows thickly. “How?” Is all he manages to get out.

“After you went back to your room, Sam and I got to talking.”

“Of course you did.”

“Sam said he remembered a hook up you had about a month ago. He never saw the guy, but he left this sweater on the sofa.”

“Why didn’t he say anything?”

“Like Sam’s gonna question you about your hook-ups. He’s not me. I want details.”

“Not that I ever give you any.”

“I’m still gonna ask. You know I’m always looking for clit flick material.

“How does Charlie put up with you?”

“She’s worse than me. She just doesn’t flaunt it. Now come on, let’s do this.”

Dean looks towards the entrance of the shop. “He’s in there? Now?”

“Yep. I made sure he was in there before I came over here.”

He can do this. He knows he needs to. If he’s honest with himself, he was never going to call him today to tell him anyway. Might as well get it over with. Rip off that Band-Aid. He looks over at Jo and she nods encouragement to him. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Jo stuffs the sweater back into her bag and they get out of the car. They stand in front of the entrance and Dean puts his arm around Jo and kisses the top of her head. “Thanks for kicking me in the ass.”

She leans into him for just a second and says “You’re welcome.” before pushing him away. “Now get in there and do it.” She opens the door for him.

One more deep breath and in he goes….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not even a little bit sorry.


	5. The One with The Father Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the father is....

….and stops dead in his tracks when he sees Cain seated at one of the pub tables.

Jo got it wrong.

 _This is gonna be awkward,_ he thinks. It’s immediately followed by Maury Povich’s voice in his head saying _You are NOT the father._ He’d laugh if he weren’t dumbstruck by Cain’s presence.

Jo gives Dean a little pull of his sleeve to push him forward toward Cain’s table. “C’mon.” she whispers. “You can do this.”

Cain hasn’t noticed them yet. He’s sat with his head bent over, reading what Dean assumes to be the latest issue of _Architectural Digest_ since that was always Cain’s favorite. The beautiful hair that Dean loved to pull hangs over his face. There’s a bit more grey in it since the last time Dean saw him, which just makes the older man look even more enticing. His long fingers skim the page and Dean remembers how they would gently skim along his body. He looks up and smiles at them, and Dean thinks that at one time, they could have had a future together. Now, however, not a chance in hell.

“Dean! Jo!” Cain stands and Jo gives him a hug. “Good to see you.” he says.

“You, too.” She punches him lightly on the arm.

The hug he shares with Dean is quick, bordering on a bro-hug, and considering they didn’t part on the best of terms, should probably have been expected. Cain sits again and says, “So, what can I do for you guys?”

Before Dean can even open his mouth, Jo says, “Dean has something to tell you.” She reaches into her bag and pulls out the sweater. “And I think this is your red sweater.” Dean wants to just turn tail and leave before it gets any more awkward than it already is.

Cain’s face is a mass of confusion as he furrows his brow. He unzips the jacket he’s wearing, showing her that he’s wearing the exact same sweater. “No. This is my red sweater.”

“Oh, fuck,” Jo says, her face paling, eyes growing wide. “You know what? I’m just gonna...yeah. I’ll be over there.” She points to the counter and practically runs away from them.

“What’s going on?” Cain asks. “Is she okay?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. She just...she made a mistake is all.” Dean isn’t sure if he should sit and explain the mix-up, or if he should cut and run. He should probably at least make an attempt at an explanation.

“Hey, you know,” Cain says cutting through Dean’s indecision. “I’m glad Jo called actually.” He stands and pulls out the opposite chair for Dean.

“Oh, yeah?” he asks as he sits. He guesses he’s going for the explanation. But then he notices that Cain is nervous, too. Did Jo give him a hint as to why she called him? _Jesus, I hope not._

“Yeah. Look, I know we didn’t part on the best terms -”

“What’s this ‘we’ shit, Kemosabe? I seem to remember you telling me that I wasn’t mature enough for you.” There’s no real bite in Dean’s voice, just a touch of sadness.

“And for that, I am sorry.” Cain takes a deep breath. “I don’t think I realized what we had. I think I’ve grown, and I’d like to get back together.”

 _Fuck._ He certainly didn’t expect that. “Now is really not the best time, Cain.” And if that’s not the understatement of the century, he’s not sure what is.

He takes Dean’s hand in his. “I’m ready for more, and I think we can make it work.”

“Son of a bitch.”

“I suppose I deserve that. But I’d like to show you -”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Do what now?” Cain blinks in confusion as he lets go of Dean’s hand.

“I’m pregnant, Cain. Jo thought you were the father because of that sweater. You and he apparently both shop at the same store.”

“Wow. Pregnant? Really?”

“Really.”

“So, um….”

“It’s okay. You can go.”

The older man practically sprints toward the door when Dean gives him the okay. Dean muses that it’s really Cain who’s the immature one. _Yep. Totally immature._

Jo comes back to the table as Cain vacates. “I’m sorry, Dean. I was positive it was Cain.” She sets a coffee in front of him and he quirks an eyebrow at her. “It’s half caf.”

He sighs again. “No, it was a reasonable assumption. He does own the same sweater, after all.” He pops the lid off the coffee and inhales the familiar, comforting scent. It’s his second favorite smell. Pie will always be first.

“You ready to tell me who the father is, yet?” She makes innocent doe eyes over the top of her cup as she takes a quick sip.

“No. Not until I tell him.”

“I don’t understand what the big deal is.” She pouts.

“Are you kidding me? You’re the one who made it a big deal in the first place. All ‘you’re gonna change this guy’s life’ and all.”

“Figured it was worth a shot. C’mon. Let’s blow this pop stand and go look at baby clothes.”

He laughs. “We don’t even know what the pup is yet.”

“As if that matters. You’re putting it in a Metallica shirt the second you push it out regardless of the sex.”

“Point taken. Let’s go.”

**~oOo~**

When they get back to the apartment, they find Sam, Gabriel and Charlie in the living room, and Dean is fairly certain Jo asked them there for support. He briefly wonders where Cas is. “How’d it go?” Sam asks. “What did Cain say?”

“Jesus, Jo. You told them?” Dean shouldn’t be surprised.

“Of course she did,” Gabriel says. “She tells us everything.”

“It’s not Cain.” Jo pulls the sweater out of her tote and lays it on the back of the sofa. “Well, there’s the sweater for when you’re ready to tell him.”

“Anyone want pizza?” Charlie asks. “That hack took longer than I thought it would. I don’t want to cook tonight.”

“Hells yeah!” Gabriel exclaims. “I want marshmallows on mine.” Everyone makes a noise of disgust at his suggestion. “What? It’s no weirder than pineapple.”

The front door opens and Castiel breezes in. “Hey, guys.” he says. “Sam, can I borrow your textbook? I left mine at the office.”

“Yeah, sure, Cas.” Sam grabs his book bag and digs through it for his book.

“We’re ordering pizza.” Charlie says. “You want in?”

“No, thanks. I’ve got more essays to grade than I thought. I completely forgot about the paper for the 10:45 class.”

“You’re the damn teacher.” Jo says. “How is that possible?”

Cas shrugs as Sam hands him the book. “You’re just lucky I’m such an excellent student that I actually remembered my book.”

Cas rolls his eyes. “It’s a college, Sam. It’s not like you have a locker to leave it in.” Cas takes the book. “Thanks.”

He turns to leave and stops when something on the sofa catches his eye. “Oh, hey! My sweater! I’ve been looking for this for like a month.” Cas picks it up and heads back out the door.

No one says anything until the door closes, and they’re sure that Cas has made it to the stairs.

“Oh, my GOD!” the girls say in unison.

“My brother?!” Gabe exclaims.

“Cas?” Sam says.

Dean just flops back on the sofa. “Son of a bitch.”

 


	6. The One Where Dean Tells Cas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *throws chapter at you and hides*

Dean stands in front of Castiel’s door, ready to knock. But not knocking.

_ Any second now.  _

A week had passed by the time Dean even considers telling Cas that he’s the father. He hadn’t been able to get an appointment with Doc Braeden until the following week, so he didn’t feel pressured to do it right away. He had to build himself up for it. 

In that time, he got a constant barrage of text messages from the gang. 

CHARLIE:  _ You should do it before Gabriel says something stupid. _

GABRIEL:  _ Tell my brother he knocked you up or I will. _

JO:  _ Just fucking do it already. _

Sam was the only one who hadn’t sent him any messages, which was worse. All week Sam ignored him. They shared a few words here and there, but Sam’s answers were clipped, and it became clear how disappointed he was in his brother for not talking to Castiel. That had hurt the most.

So there he stands, like a fucking coward at the door. But not knocking. 

_ Goddamnit. _

One more deep breath. He’s just about to knock on the door when it opens, and Cas stands there, looking better than he has any right to. “Hello, Dean.”

_ Fuck. _

“Hey, Cas.” 

Ever since their break-up four years ago, their relationship has been strained. The fact that they hooked up seven - no, eight - weeks ago, surprised both of them. They agreed to forget that it happened and went on business as usual.

“I was just going to get something to eat.” Cas says. “You want to come with me? I was thinking Omegas for some beer and wings.” Cas starts to exit the apartment, but Dean stops him by putting a hand on his chest. Cas looks down at Dean’s hand and then back up at Dean, confused. “Did you want something?”

Dean quickly removes his hand and touches the back of his neck, his nervous habit he’d had since he could remember. He’s got to do this before he loses his nerve. Or not. “No. I mean...yes, but it can -”

“C’mon in. I can hold off on hot Omegas in bright orange short shorts for a few minutes.”  He smiles brightly as he lets Dean pass by him into the apartment and closes the door. “Gabe is out with Sam. You okay? You seem nervous.” Cas lightly scents the air, smelling the nervousness on Dean.

“Yeah. They wanted like a real date night.” He snorts. 

“Hard to believe they’re finally together. I was beginning to think it’d never happen.” Cas sits on the sofa, his posture open and inviting, and if Dean didn’t know any better, he’d think that the Alpha was offering himself up. “You okay with it?”

“Define okay.” Dean brushes past Castiel as he makes his way to the chair, but with that one touch, Cas is up in a flash, grabbing Dean’s wrist. Dean is so startled he practically falls over. “Dude! What -?”

Cas tightens his grip on Dean’s wrist. His other hand grabs Dean’s face, and he forces Dean to bare his neck so that he can scent it. Dean realizes that the Alpha can smell the changes in his body because of the pup. He stays stock still and lets Cas have his way. He knows better than to provoke an angry Alpha. 

“Cas?”

“You’re pregnant.” He releases Dean and practically pushes him into the chair. Cas’ eyes narrow and scent of anger flows off him. 

“Yeah, about that -” 

“For all the  _ shit  _ you gave me about cheating -”

“We need to talk.”

“And what do you do? Get knocked up by some random Alpha like a typical knot-whore!!”

Whoa. Dean did not expect that. He figured Cas might be angry at first, but he didn’t count on being accused of being a whore. “Did you just -?”

Cas paces the apartment. “One little hook-up and now you show up here pregnant? You’ve got some fucking nerve. And here I thought that maybe, just maybe, we could have had another chance after you came on to me that night, but apparently I was wrong.”

“After  _ I  _ came on to  _ you? _ Are you high?  _ You  _ came on to  _ me. _ ” And just like that, all thoughts of Dean telling Cas he’s the father are gone. 

“Bullshit. You absolutely came on to me. But you know what? It doesn’t really matter since it apparently meant absolutely nothing to you.” 

Dean can hear and smell the hurt that tinges his anger. He needs to fix this. He supposes he deserves at least some of Cas’ anger. He gets up, makes Castiel stop pacing and points a finger at him. “Fuck you, Cas. The pup is yours!” Well, that’s not how he meant to tell him.  _ Way to go.  _

A horrified look comes over Cas’ face. “What?”

His voice softens. “The pup is yours, asshole. I haven’t been with anyone since that night.” 

“You’re sure?” The anger in Cas’ scent dissipates, replaced by anxiousness.

“Yeah, I’m sure. You’re the only Alpha I’ve had sex with in like six months.” 

Cas starts pacing again, eyes down, and Dean can tell by his pacing that it’s nerves, not anger. “But you’re on suppressants.” 

“I am.” 

“And we used a condom.”

“We did.”

“And you’re still pregnant?”

“Yep.” 

Dean positions himself in Cas’ path and holds up his hands to stop him. The Alpha stops abruptly, as he wasn’t even paying attention. He looks up into Dean’s eyes, and Dean wants to melt. They show scared, but they also show hope. He’s not positive, but he thinks that Cas may be about to cry.

“How -?” Cas reaches up and takes one of Dean’s hands in his and leads them back to the sofa. They sit, knees touching.

“I don’t know. Shit happens, right?” Dean looks away, and he picks at the sofa. “Sometimes you do everything you should, and one of those fuckers still gets through.” 

“I’m sorry for calling you a knot-whore.” 

Dean chuckles. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Cas chuckles, too. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t.” They’re quiet for a moment before he adds, “What are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna….” Dean stops. He’s certain of his decision. He is absolutely, one-hundred percent keeping the pup. Getting those words out to Castiel, however, proves to be difficult. He breaks out into a flop sweat, his scent turning to fear.

The Alpha picks upon it immediately. “Oh. I see.”

“You can be as involved as you want, Cas. No pressure.”

Cas stands and heads towards the kitchen. “You want a beer?” he asks as he opens the fridge.

“What? No. I’m pregnant.” What the hell is Cas thinking?

He comes back with two beers, offering it to Dean. “I don’t suppose it matters, does it?” He sits on the far end of the sofa, as far away from Dean as he can possibly get. When Dean doesn’t take the bottle, Cas shrugs and puts it on the coffee table as he takes a long pull off of his own.

Dean stares at Cas for a long moment. He studies Cas’ posture, which is slouched, his ass almost hanging off the edge of the sofa. The man looks sad, like he lost his puppy. He wonders which stage of grief Cas is going to jump to next. He’s seen anger and sadness, maybe he’ll jump backwards to denial.

“When are you going?” Cas asks quietly.

“Tuesday. 2:45. You wanna come?” He hopes to God that Cas says yes. He really doesn’t want to go alone. 

“No.”

Oh. Well, there it is. He supposes he shouldn’t have expected too much. “You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Cas? You okay?” 

“Not really.” He drains the bottle. “I mean, how could I be?” He sits up and grabs the other bottle off the table.

_ Okay, so backwards to denial it is, then.  _ “I’m sorry.” And he means it. Dean almost wishes that night had never happened. But then he wouldn’t have the pup in his belly. He touches it again and smiles. He’ll be just fine on his own. 

“Pfft.” 

Dean looks at Cas. “Look, I am sorry. I’m sorry to do this to you. Hell, I’m kind of sorry to do this to me. Have you seen me?” Cas looks horrified at Dean’s attempt at humor. “I said you can be as involved as you want. If you want nothing to do with it, I understand. But know that I’m keeping this pup -”

Cas sits upright. “What?”

“- and I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

“You’re...you’re keeping the pup?” 

“Of course I’m keeping the pup.” And the next thing Dean knows, Cas is hugging him tightly. He’s so startled he doesn’t hug back, but pushes him away. “Dude! What the fuck are you doing? Personal space, Cas. We’ve talked about this.”

Cas composes himself. “My apologies.” He coughs a bit and stands. “I’m going to Omegas. You uh, you want to come?”

The shift in Cas’ tone is so abrupt, Dean’s not sure what just happened, but from the sound of it, Cas really doesn’t want him around right now. Probably just wants to process the news. “No, you go ahead.”

They leave the apartment, Dean heading up, Cas heading down, both wondering where they actually go from here.


	7. The One Where Cas Gets A Clue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Cas knows he's going to be a father, how does his relationship with Dean change?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout outs to [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.tumblr.com) and [Metatron-the-Transformer](http://www.metatron-the-transformer.tumblr.com) for additional beta work.

Cas sits in the booth at Omegas staring at his beer. When he’d been heading out before Dean stopped him, he was going to grade some more papers. But now? He’d left them in the car as he can barely string a single coherent thought together.

Dean is pregnant and he’s the father. And Dean doesn’t want him involved with the pup. He supposes he shouldn’t be surprised considering their history. They’ve never really fully recovered from their break-up. Yes, they’ve been friendly, joking and occasionally sharing advice, but there is always the undercurrent of betrayal on both of them that prevents them from being as close as they were before.

“Are you ready to order or are you waiting on someone?” The waiter cocks his hip toward the table, and Cas is sure he’s angling for a bigger tip.

“No, it’s just me.”

“What can I get you, hun?”

“Ten wings. Hot. And another one of these.” He shakes his near empty glass. With the two he had at the house, he’s pretty sure he’ll need to call Gabriel to take him home later.

“You got it.” The waiter winks and leaves to put in Cas’ order.

Cas leans over to watch him go. May as well get his fill, right?

He sits back up and sighs. He crosses his arms on the table and rests his head on them. What is he doing? An hour ago, his life was fine. He was happy. A little lonely, but happy. His teaching at the university is challenging but fulfilling. His friends are fun. He gets laid occasionally.

But now.

Now he’s a father. Or going to be anyway. And he’s relatively certain that Dean doesn’t want him in the pup’s life. Then again, his communications skills have always been a bit rusty. Maybe he thought wrong.

Cas replays what happened when Dean told him. Shit. He barely let Dean get a word in edgewise. And, and called him a knot-whore. Jesus, he’s a dick.

“Whatever you’re thinking, you’re probably right.”

Cas looks up to find Gabriel sliding across from him in the booth. Just what he didn’t want. “What are you doing here, Gabe?”

“A little birdie told me you were being an asshole. I came to fix it.” He looks around for the waiter and motions that he’ll have what Cas is having when their eyes meet. “Damn, did you get the hot one, or what?”

“They’re all hot, Gabe.” Cas sits up only marginally, leaning his cheek in his hand. “It’s the whole premise of the restaurant.”

Gabriel surveys the restaurant to make sure. “Yeah, but you got the hottest of the hot Omegas. Good job.” When his brother says nothing, he continues. “Right. So. You’re an asshole.”

“I love you, too.”

“I know you do. But we need to talk about what just happened.”

It occurs to Cas that Dean must have headed back upstairs and said something to either Sam or Gabriel. Now he wonders if Dean was pissed, sad, happy? “What did he tell you?”

“Oh, no. I wanna hear it from you.” He shakes a finger at Cas to prove his point.

Cas sits back and slouches, his hands on the seat. “What’s there to tell? Dean told me he was pregnant, I called him a knot-whore, he said I’m the father, and that he didn’t want me involved. Fairly straightforward, really.”

Gabriel shakes his head. “Tell me you apologized for the knot-whore comment.”

“Sort of? I mean, I did, yes. And we sort of laughed it off. Then he inferred he was going to abort -”

“Dude. No way. You know Dean.”

Cas nods. “Yeah. I know. When I realized he meant he was going to see his OBGYN and not - the other thing, I practically jumped into his lap and hugged him. He shoved me away and mumbled something about personal space and left. Then I came here.”

The Omega comes back with their beer. “Thanks, sweetheart.” He says, winking to the young waiter. He turns back to his brother, face going somber. “And what do you want?”

Cas is startled by the question. As the father, his opinion doesn’t really matter. If Dean doesn’t want him around, what can he do? Child support, sure. Maybe visitation? He’d like to think that their relationship isn’t so strained that Dean would actually keep him from his pup. “Does it matter? It’s what Dean wants.”

“Oh, my God. You two have got your heads so far up your asses. I can’t help you if you don’t want to be helped.”

“What am I supposed to do, Gabe? Huh? Storm into his apartment and claim him?”

“YES!”

Castiel laughs bitterly and shakes his head. “Yeah, because that’s progressive.” Part of him wishes he could do just that - act like a neanderthal Alpha and keep his Omega barefoot and pregnant. The moment he’d realized Dean was pregnant with his pup, his urge to claim him was almost overwhelming. It was only through sheer willpower that he didn’t.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s progressive or not. It’s what’s right.”

“There is nothing right about this whole situation.” Cas puts his head on his forearms on the table again. Maybe if it were thirty years ago, he and Dean could have had a chance at what was considered a traditional relationship, but now? Cas wonders if he’s a little too enlightened for his own good. It’s a thought he bats away immediately, his internal self-correction kicking in.

“Okay, look. I didn’t abandon my date with the hottest Omega in like ever for your mopey dopey shit.”

“Then go back to Sam.”

“Oh, I will, because, damn, is he an awesome kisser.”

“I didn’t need to know that.”

“But first, I’m gonna lay down some truth on you, Cassie, and you better listen up.”

Cas looks up at his brother and gives him a look of sheer disbelief.

“Oh, no you don’t. You need to tell that chucklehead how you feel about him.”

The waiter comes back with a plate of wings and places it between the men. “Can I get you two anything else?” he asks.

“Can I ask you something?” Gabriel scrutinizes the nametag the kid is wearing. “Alfie?” The waiter nods. “Hypothetical. If you got knocked up by an ex-boyfriend, what would you do?”

The Omega blushes. “That’s a little personal, don’t you think?”

“Gabriel, stop.” Cas turns to the waiter. “You don’t have to answer that.”

“You’re right.” Gabe says. “You don’t have to answer that, but I would like to know what you would do. I mean, as an Alpha, I only know what I would want to do.”

“Well,” the waiter starts. “I suppose if we were on good terms, I’d like to think we could raise the pup together.”

“And if you weren’t?”

“I don’t know. See if there were a way to work it out? It’s his kid, too, right?”

Gabriel flashes Cas an I told you so look. “What if he wanted to claim you?”

“I...I guess it would depend on our relationship?” The poor Omega looks like he’s ready to bolt.

“Thank you.” Gabriel says. He pulls out his wallet and hands the kid a twenty. “I appreciate your honesty.” The kid takes the bill, nods and walks off to another table.

“What did that accomplish?”

“Cas, you’re my brother, and I love you, but sometimes you are a great big bag of dicks.” Gabriel ignores Cas’ look and keeps going. “You and Dean? I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people more perfect for each other. Yeah, you two have both been colossally and spectacularly stupid, but Jesus Christ, Cas. You love each other. Everyone around you can see it.”

Cas is quiet for a second. “I don’t think you’re right.” He’s not. There is no way they still love each other. Sure, Cas still has some feelings for Dean; he supposes he always will. Dean was his first real love, not that teenage angst bullshit he had in high school.

“When have I ever not been right?” Gabriel picks up a wing and starts sucking the sauce off it. “Damn, that’s good.”

Cas has to think about the last time Gabriel was actually wrong. It’s been a while. “I’m not saying you’re right, but...how do I fix this?”

Gabriel smiles widely. “I’m glad you asked. Now, the way I see it, you’re still not over your fight from four years ago. Neither one of you admitted you were wrong -”

“I wasn’t wrong.”

“You know what? I don’t care. Neither does Dean. I get it. I 100% get what you did that night. You were hurt when Dean suggested a break so you got drunk and did the first Omega you could get your hands on.”

“We were on a break!” Cas is getting tired of having to explain that.

Gabriel rips into the wing. “Again, I don’t care. Whether it was intentional or not, you did the most hurtful thing you could to to Dean - you broke his trust, regardless of whether or not you were on some damn break.”

“But what about his breaking up with me?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter? Of course it matters!”

“No, it doesn’t. And if you ever want a chance with Dean again, you need to come to terms that you. Were. Wrong.” Gabriel brandishes the wing, pointing it at Cas to drive his point home. When Cas doesn’t answer right away, Gabriel asks, “What are you afraid of?”

“I’m not -”

“Oh, no you don’t. What are you afraid of?

Cas sighs a put-upon sigh. “Rejection? Losing Dean forever? Not being able to see our pup.” Gabriel snorts a laugh. “What?”

“You said ‘our pup’ instead of ‘his pup.’” He says smugly. “You lurve him.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Nada. What’s wrong with you that you can’t just admit it?”

“I can’t -”

“Can’t what? Handle the rejection again? Jesus, Cas. You’re a goddamned adult, so start acting like one. Even if Dean says no, at least you know. You know?”

And suddenly the lightbulb goes off, and it’s so blindingly obvious, Cas has no idea why he ignored it for so long. He loves Dean.

He loves Dean.

The realization startles him so much, he sits upright, kind of like a prairie dog. He doesn’t care about being right anymore. He cares about making it right. And if that means swallowing his damn pride and apologizing, he is damn well gonna do it.

He wants Dean. He wants to be part of Dean’s life. He wants Dean to be his mate. He wants to be a father to their pup. Their pup.

“There’s the flame I was trying to spark.”

“I’ve gotta go.” Cas is up in a flash and halfway to the door when he remembers he needs to pay for the check, so he turns back to the booth.

Gabriel waves him away. “I’ve got it. Now go.”

Cas nods, his purpose renewed. He has to tell Dean he loves him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll get there. I promise.


	8. The One with the Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These idiots finally talk to each other.

Dean Winchester does not cry. He doesn’t. No, what he’s doing right now can only be described as  _ weeping.  _ Weeping for the loss of fucking everything. His friend, his relationship, his life now that he’s pregnant. He sits on the sofa, curled into a ball up against one of the arm rests, occasionally wiping away the tears with the back of his hand. 

None of his conversation with Cas had gone the way he expected it to go.  _ What’d you expect? He’d tell you he loved you and claim you right there?  _ He winces internally at that thought. He kind of had expected Cas to do that, no matter what he told himself. How stupid could he be? Of course Cas was never going to claim him. Cas has his own life. There’s no reason for it to be upended by Dean’s pregnancy. 

“Maybe Gabriel can talk some sense into him.” Sam says gently. He sits in the papasan, giving Dean a little space. 

Dean snorts. “No offense Sammy, but your boyfriend isn’t exactly a paragon of help. Cas made it pretty clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with this pup.” 

Sam shakes his head. “That just doesn’t sound like him. Cas has always been the most responsible of all of us. I can’t imagine he wouldn’t want to help.” 

“He didn’t want to come to the appointment. He was adamant about that.” 

“I’m sorry, De. I’m the one who made you tell him about it. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

“No, you were right. He needed to know.” Dean just wishes it had gone differently, that’s for sure. 

It’s then that they hear the doorknob jiggle and a body rush against it as the door doesn’t budge. Whoever it is obviously expected the door to be unlocked. The brothers exchange a look, neither expecting anyone. Whoever it is pounds on the door, so Sam gets up to tell them to knock it off. 

Sam looks through the peephole as he places his hand on the knob. When he sees who is there, he backs away from the door and turns to Dean who furrows his brow at him. “It’s Cas.”

“Oh.” 

“Do you want me to let him in?” When Dean doesn’t answer for a moment, Sam says, “I can tell him to go away.”

There is more pounding on the door. “Dean! Please! Let me in. We need to talk!”

“Dean?” Sam asks.

Does he want to talk to Cas?  _ Should _ he talk to Cas? He’s probably there to confirm that he wants nothing to do with the pup. If that’s the case, Dean definitely doesn’t want to talk anymore.  _ But what if….No.  _ He stops the Hope Train in its tracks. He’s needs to stop hoping that Cas will ever want him again. May as well face reality and get it over with once and for all.

“Let him in.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. It’s fine.” He wipes away more tears and takes a deep breath. He can do this. He closes his eyes and nods to himself, gathering the courage to hear Cas tell him that he’s on his own with the pup. He doesn’t have the wherewithal to be angry any more. Just resigned. 

Sam opens the door and before Cas can rush in, Sam stops him. “You hurt him any more and I will end you.” Cas looks up at the large Omega and swallows. “Are we clear?” Dean smiles at his brother’s protectiveness.

“Crystal.” Cas replies. “Can I see him?” He tries to look around Sam, but Sam’s build makes it difficult. When Sam moves to let him through, Cas practically races into the room, stopping short when he sees Dean on the sofa. 

They stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. Dean can smell the fear radiating off of Cas. But why is he scared? Cas is the one who ended it. 

“Hello, Dean.” Dean doesn’t say anything. He waits for Cas to continue. “I, um...Sam, can we be alone?”

Sam stands by the still-open door with his arms crossed. “Dean?”

“Yeah, Sammy. It’s fine.”

“Gabriel is at Omegas if you wish to join him.” Cas says. 

“Call me if you need me.” Sam says as he leaves. 

Dean decides to let Cas do all the talking, since he’s the one who left earlier. He’s not even sure he  _ can  _ say anything at this point. 

“So.” It’s all Cas gets out for a good twenty seconds. “Can I sit?” Dean nods. Cas sits on the opposite end of the sofa, perched on the edge, looking like he’s ready to jump up and leave at any second, which really wouldn’t surprise Dean in the slightest. 

It’s another thirty seconds before Cas speaks again. “Dean, I….” And again he’s silent. 

Dean’s really not in the mood for sitting in silence, and even though he can’t look at him, he lays it out for Cas. “Look. I get it. You don’t want anything to do with the pup. I’m sorry to put you in this position, but know that I’m not going to ask you for anything. You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll figure this out on my own.”

He’s still looking at his hands when Cas says, “You asshole.” He snaps his head up and sees Cas smiling. And now Dean is thoroughly confused, especially when Cas scoots closer to him and takes his hand, looking at him with the dopiest smile Dean has ever seen him smile.

“First. I am sorry. For everything. All of it.”

“I told you, it’s fine. I’ll figure it out.” 

Cas sighs. “It’s not fine. I have been...a great big bag of dicks. That’s a direct quote from Gabriel.”   


Dean huffs a laugh. He certainly didn’t expect that. “You didn’t expect to be a father today. It was a bit of an overreaction, yeah, but still -”

“No, Dean. You don’t understand. I am sorry for our break up. I am sorry for sleeping with Inias. For not telling you about it. I am sorry that I didn’t apologize sooner. I am sorry for wasting four years of tiptoeing around you, wishing we were still together. I am sorry for being so fucking stubborn to continue to insist we were on a break, when it didn’t fucking matter. I am sorry that I hurt you so badly. I’m sorry for the way I reacted earlier. Calling you a knot-whore. God, that was out of line. I am sorry that you thought for  _ one second  _ that I do not want our pup. Because I  _ do.  _ I want to be part of its life. I want to be part of  _ your  _ life.”

Dean blinks several times. “Do what, now?” He is certain he’s having a stroke. There’s no way in hell Cas just said what he thinks he said. Did he? He notices happiness beginning to mingle with Cas’ anxious scent, and Dean begins to hope again.

“I still love you. I never stopped.” Dean stands abruptly, pulling his hand away from Cas. “Dean?”

“You don’t mean that.” There is no way. “You’re just saying that because of the pup. You’re trying to be the stand up guy you are, and do the right thing. That doesn’t equal love.” He feels Cas stand and come up behind him. 

“You’re wrong. Yes, I want to do the right thing. Of course I do. But I don’t want to do it because it’s right. I want to do it because I love you.” Cas rests his hand on Dean’s shoulder and Dean leans his head toward it. 

He comes to his senses and jerks away, turning to face Cas. “No. You offered me a beer. That’s not -” Dean can’t even get the words out. 

Cas looks away. “I assumed. I didn’t let you finish what you were going to say before I jumped to the conclusion that you were going to abort.”

“Jesus! Cas -”

“I know! You mentioned the appointment and I - got it so unbelievably wrong. Look, I’m not saying this is going to be a cake walk for either of us. But I want to try. I want to be your Alpha, if you’ll have me.”

“No.” 

“Oh. Okay. I suppose I should have expected….I’ll go.” Cas starts towards the door.

Dean grabs his wrist as he brushes past. “No, Cas. I mean, we both have so much to apologize for. Can we get past it?” 

Cas looks down at where Dean has his wrist, and places his other hand over it. “Yes.” 

Dean’s heart beats faster, and he dares to hope again. “Are you sure?”

Cas steps closer, taking a cursory sniff of Dean’s scent. “I am positive. I hate being apart from you. I’ve buried it too long, and I am willing to do anything,  _ anything  _ to make it up to you.”

It’s when Cas places a hand on Dean’s belly that Dean melts, and he knows that he’s a goner. He know that he is going to forgive him for everything. But there’s one more thing that Dean has to tell him before they can move on. “Cas?”

“Yes, Dean?”

“We were on a break.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thisclose to adding the smut here. It's getting its own chapter instead. 
> 
> *smooches*


	9. The One with the Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Finally._

“Did you just…?”

Dean smiles and places his hand over Cas’ on his belly. “Yes. We were on a fucking break. I’m sor -”

Castiel cuts him off as he grabs Dean by his shirt and pulls him forward into a kiss. 

It’s everything Dean has ever wanted, being kissed by  _ his _ Alpha, and he can’t help but smile into it. He pulls back and rests his forehead on Cas’. 

“So, we’re doing this?” he asks tentatively. 

Cas takes Dean’s face in his hands. “For as long as you want, yes.” 

Dean sighs heavily as he closes his eyes, relief flooding his body. “Fuck me.”

“Is that a general statement, or a request?”

“God, yes.” 

They hesitate for just a moment and then kiss frantically, making up for lost time. Cas moves first, stepping back enough backwards toward the hallway that if Dean wants to keep kissing, he has to follow. 

By the time they make it to the bedroom (with only two stops along the way for prolonged groping - once against the bathroom door, the other nearly causing the framed Led Zeppelin poster to fall off the wall resulting in much giggling), Dean’s underwear is soaked with slick. Cas squeezes Dean’s ass and they can hear the squelch as Dean shifts again.

“Smell so good.” Cas inhales deeply at Dean’s neck and continues to scent him down his body as the Alpha drops to his knees. His hands slowly make their way down Dean’s torso, pausing to rest on his belly again, and Cas growls at his pup in there. Another few inches and he nuzzles Dean’s crotch, feeling his hard cock. 

Dean’s hands find their way to Cas’ hair. “Please.” is all he can say. He’s not even sure what he’s asking for, Dean just knows that he  _ wants.  _

“What do you need, baby?” Cas’ voice drops another notch and Dean pushes his hips forward. “Okay, baby. I’ve got you.” 

Cas quickly undoes Dean’s belt and jeans and slides them down his legs. His hands creep back up Dean’s legs, pulling his boxer-briefs down by the leg holes. The waistband snags on Dean’s Omega cock; and Cas leans forward to kiss it through the cotton-poly fabric, making Dean suck in a shaky breath. 

He pulls the waistband over Dean’s dick, sliding the underwear down to his ankles along with his jeans. Cas takes his dick in his mouth and gently sucks it.

“Oh, fuck.” Dean says. One of Cas’ hands cradles his balls, the other slipping between his legs towards his hole, sliding easily in the slick dripping out of Dean’s ass. 

“Cas, please. I’m not gonna last long.” Dean tugs on Cas’ hair, trying to coax him upwards. Cas pushes him on the bed instead. Dean bounces off the mattress and Cas pulls at the clothes at Dean’s feet, taking as little time as possible to remove them. 

With a wicked grin, Cas lifts Dean’s leg and dives forward to lick at his hole, groaning at the taste. A couple of flicks of his tongue to Dean’s rim that make the Omega suck in a breath, and he begins kissing his way back up his Omega’s body, leaving a trail of slick and spit as he goes, making Dean shiver. 

By the time Cas gets to his neck, Dean is ready to be claimed. He bares his neck to the Alpha -  _ his  _ Alpha - in anticipation. He pulls at Cas’ hair to guide him to the spot the bite will go. 

“Oh, no.” Cas teases as he scents Dean’s neck. “Not until I’m buried inside of you am I going to claim you.” Dean whines loudly as Cas chuckles. “You can wait a little longer... _ mate. _ ” 

Dean, however, has always been a pushy Omega. When Cas reaches his lips kissing him again, Dean wraps his legs around Cas as he reaches under him and manages to shove two fingers into his greedy, slicked up hole. He sighs into Cas’ mouth as he pumps his fingers in and out of himself, scissoring them open in anticipation. Between the sensation of fucking himself open and both their cocks grinding between their bodies, Dean is certain he’s going to come. Soon. 

Cas  knows what Dean is doing, so he reaches between them and squeezes Dean’s cock at the base, preventing the Omega from coming. Dean huffs in frustration into Cas’ mouth while Cas smiles playfully.

Dean decides to play dirty. His legs grip Cas’ waist so tightly that he yelps as Dean deftly flips them over so that Cas ends up on his back with Dean straddling him.

“Two can play at that game.” He growls as he takes Cas’ cock in his hand and begins to line it up with his hole. 

Cas’ eyes go wide. “You’re not prepped enough. I don’t want to hurt you.”

But Dean really, really doesn’t give a shit. “You won’t.” He says has he carefully nudges the Alpha’s dick into himself. The slow pace is torturous for them both, and Dean knows it’ll be worth it once he’s fucking himself on Cas’ cock. 

It’s slow going, but once Dean is fully seated, he takes a moment to adjust before he’s fucking Cas in earnest. For his part, Cas appears to be along for the ride as he grips Dean’s thighs tightly as he smiles at the sight of Dean doing all the work. 

Dean leans back and places his hands on Cas’ shins, gunning for a better angle so he can hit…. _ there.  _ He shouts as Cas’ dick hits his prostate once, twice... All Dean can do is nod and allow himself to be manhandled into the position Cas wants him in. 

“Up.” Is all Cas says. Dean slides off his dick, and he’s almost certain he knows how Cas wants him. Before he can say anything, Dean gets on all fours and presents himself to his Alpha, who growls appreciatively. Cas takes his sweet time sinking into him, just to prove to Dean he can be as much of an asshole. Dean tries to fuck himself back on Cas’ dick, but a well-placed smack to his ass and Dean stills. 

As soon as he’s balls-deep, Cas pulls out quickly and slams back into Dean, taking the Omega’s breath away. Dean claws at the sheets as Cas grips his hips so tightly, Dean’s sure he’s going to have marks on them in the morning.  _ Good, _ he thinks. 

Cas lets go of Dean’s hips and drapes himself over Dean’s back, fucking him in earnest as he nuzzles the back of Dean’s neck. One of Cas’ hands grips Dean’s hair roughly, the other snakes around to Dean’s cock.

“You gonna come for me, Omega?” he snarls. Dean pushes back as Cas hauls him up so that they are chest-to-back.

“Come on, Alpha. Mark me.” Cas does just that. He yanks Dean’s hair, forcing him to expose his neck and sinks his teeth into it, marking his Omega for all the world to see. 

As Cas bites his neck, Dean comes so hard, his vision gets a little fuzzy and he goes lax in Cas’ arms. The stronger man holds him up, and after a few more thrusts, combined with Dean’s hole clenching around him, Cas’ knot catches on Dean’s rim and then he’s coming, locking the two of them together. 

They spoon as Cas licks at the bite while Dean hums contentedly, placing Cas’ hand on his belly. “My Alpha.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Because I am a child, I couldn't write more than ten sentences or so at a time without giggling with embarrassment and having to walk away. 
> 
> Thank you again to [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.tumblr.com) and [PowerfulWeak](http://www.powerfulweak.tumblr.com) for ideas, beta-ings, and cheerleading.


	10. The One with the Video

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas lets it slip that he taped he and Dean the night Dean got pregnant.

“It’s about fucking time!” Jo squeals as she sits on the floor next to Charlie. 

Gabriel is just as excited. “Praise Marty Moose!” 

“Shut up, you two.” Dean says. He blushes deeply and tucks himself into Cas’ side on the sofa, burying his face in his chest as Cas’ arm snakes its way around his shoulders. He both hates and loves his friends so very much.

“They’re not wrong, Dean.” Sam says. “We’ve been waiting for you two to figure it out.”

Cas chuckles. “I suppose there was a pool?”

Charlie raises her hand. “I won!” 

“She did. I hate her.” Jo pecks her girlfriend on the cheek.

“Yeah, but to be fair, we do -  _ did - _ reset the pool every six months.” Charlie pops a gluten-free Cheenie into her mouth. 

Dean hardly believes this is his life. He’s pregnant (and has the ultrasound to prove it), he’s mated, and the Scooby Gang is all together again. And betting on him, apparently. He’s happy. He sneaks a peek at the gang and smiles at them. It’s the first time they’ve all been together since he and Cas mated. 

“Now that we’re all here,” Gabriel says clapping his hands together, “are you going to tell us how it happened?”

Jo claps her hands in delight as well. “Oooh! Or more importantly when? And how many times?” 

“Jo!” Charlie chides as she nudges her with her elbow. “That’s not right. You have to start with  _ where  _ it happened.” And the girls dissolve into giggles.

Dean and Cas both groan. Dean certainly didn’t want to provide a blow by blow account of how he got pregnant.  _ Not that it’s not a lovely memory,  _ he thinks. 

“Ew. No. That’s my  _ brother.  _ I don’t need the gory details.” Dean silently thanks God that his brother is the logical one.

Gabriel raises his hand. “I do. I don’t care. Just more spank bank material.” 

“Jesus Christ, Gabe.” Sam makes the biggest bitchface Dean has ever seen. 

“Gabriel, you are disgusting.” Cas pokes Dean’s side. “You want to tell them?”

“Fine.” The girls will do nothing but annoy him until he tells them anyway. He wonders why they’re so invested in his love life. They clap excitedly and snuggle up to each other in wide-eyed anticipation. Dean rolls his eyes at them. “So, about eight weeks ago -”

“Nine at this point.” Cas says as he touches Dean’s belly again. 

Dean extricates Cas’ hand. “Stop it.” He says, but doesn’t mean it.

“You love it.”

“I do.” They lean in for a kiss as Gabriel makes a barfing noise. 

Sam smacks his boyfriend’s arm. “Shut up, Gabe.” Gabriel looks wounded and pouts.

“So about nine weeks ago,” Dean continues, “I had offered to stuff some envelopes for Bobby for a promotion he was going to run.” He needs to stop telling Bobby he can help with the office stuff and tell the old man he needs to hire a damn secretary. “I was bored and wanted some company doing it, so I went downstairs to see if Cas could help.”

“Where was I?” Sam asks.

“It was Tuesday. Still in class.” Sam nods.

Jo snorts. “One more reason I’m glad we don’t live in this complex.”

“Yeah, you can’t rope us into manual labor.” Charlie high-fives Jo. 

“Anyway, I went down to see if Cas was home, which he was, and he offered to help.”

“In more ways than one!” Gabriel jabs Sam’s side and waggles his eyebrows. Sam grasps his hands in an effort to get him to stop. 

Dean grabs the bottle of water off the coffee table in front of him. He’s definitely going to miss drinking. “We had some wine, we got to talking, and then Cas comes on to me.” Cas snorts. “What?”

Cas pats his leg and looks at him funny. “That’s a little misleading, don’t you think?” 

“What is?” 

“That lie you just told.” 

“That you came on to me?” He can hardly believe Cas remembers it wrong.

“That’s the one!”

“But you did! You know you kissed me first!” He totally did. Dean is certain of it.

“Only because you were  _ begging  _ me to kiss you! Let’s just drop it, okay? It doesn’t matter who came on to who.”

Dean’s a little annoyed that Cas doesn’t remember what happened. He doesn’t want to fight, not so soon after they’ve  _ finally  _ gotten together, but this is definitely going to bug him if he doesn’t set the record straight. “No, please. Show me how I begged you.”

“I can show you! I have it on video!”

Dean - and everyone else - stills. He thinks he can feel the color draining from his face. Why -  _ why  _ \- would Cas have done that? If he hadn’t already separated himself from Cas, Dean’s sure he probably would have have shoved him away. “You what?”

“Shit. That’s not -”

“Fuck, Cas.” Even Gabriel sounds surprised. “You don’t do that without someone’s permission. You gotta tell someone before you do that.”

Dean looks at Cas as he stands. He can’t tell what is on his face. He looks scared, yes, but is it because he got caught, or because he thinks that Dean is going to hate him? Whichever it is, Dean can’t stomach the thought of either, so he heads to his room to process.

~oOo~

Cas’ stomach drops as Dean shuts the bedroom door. He hadn’t meant to blurt it out that way. He’d planned to bring it up later. Or never. He doesn’t even know why he still has it; he didn’t watch it. He’d actually forgotten about it for a while, until Dean goaded him just now. 

His feet finally start moving towards the bedroom. He tries the knob, but the door is locked. “Dean?” No answer. He knocks lightly. “Please let me in.” Nothing. “Baby?”

When no answer comes, Cas leans his forehead on the door, one hand on the knob, the other rests flat on the wood.  _ Stupid, stupid, stupid,  _ he thinks. Another plea for Dean with no answer and Cas trudges back down the hall.

“He won’t open the door.” He tells the room. 

“Cas, not for nothing, but I probably wouldn’t either.” Charlie’s words don’t reassure him at all. Not that they should, he supposes.

“I swear, I didn’t do it on purpose.” It was one hundred percent an accident.

Sam heads towards the kitchen. “That was kind of a pervy thing to do, man.” he says over his shoulder. 

“I’m not a perv.”

“There was that one time I walked in on you and Hannah wearing enough leather and feathers to make even me blush.” Gabriel shudders at the memory. 

Cas has been through that argument before. “I’ve told you before that had nothing - never mind. You know what? This whole thing is your fault anyway.” 

“My fault? How the hell is it my fault?” 

“Gotta agree.” Jo says. “He didn’t make you turn on the camera.” 

“But he did!” Cas insists. He leans into Gabriel to try to jog his brother’s memory. He doesn’t want everyone to know about it, so he drops his voice a little. “Don’t you remember? I came to you for help.”

Sam comes back with more beer. “What did you do, Gabe?”

“Nothing! I swear!”

Before Sam can take a sip of his beer, Cas grabs the bottle from him and takes a long pull from it. 

“Hey!” Sam says. 

“Gabe, think. That problem?” Cas really hopes he doesn’t have to say what his problem was out loud. It was super embarrassing. 

Gabriel snaps his fingers. “Oh yeah! You hadn’t gotten laid in a while!”

Once again, the girls dissolve into a fit of giggles. “Aw, poor Cas.” Jo says. 

“Thanks, Gabe.” Cas says sarcastically. “I didn’t want everyone to know!”

“How else do you tell this story then, bro?”

“Fine. So after that date I had….”


	11. The One with the Backpacking Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas attempts to explain how he ended up taping he and Dean having sex.

_ Nine weeks ago…. _

Cas is  _ done.  _

Done with dating. Done with trying to get laid. Done with Omegas in general. Maybe he can find a nice Beta girl to settle down with. 

Gabriel’s story -  _ the  _ story guaranteed to get you laid - bombed. 

Every time Cas tried to ease into the Backpacking Across Western Europe story, his date interrupted him. Cas mentioned Barcelona, his date said he’d been there. Cas mentioned Mount Tibidabo, his date corrected him letting him know he was pronouncing it incorrectly. By the time Cas mentioned the Omega bathing naked in the lake, and his date asked if that was sanitary, Cas was done. He cut the date short, feigning an early class and went home.

By the time he gets back to the apartment, he’s convinced he’s never having sex again with anyone other than his hand or a fleshlight. 

He slams the door a little too hard and the shelf next to it rattles a bit. “Fuck.” he mutters.  _ May as well get drunk,  _ he thinks, so he gets a beer and heads to the sofa for a night alone. Maybe there’s a  _ Star Trek  _ marathon or something he can settle in with. 

“Cas?”

_ Great. Just fucking great.  _

“You’re home early.” Gabriel says popping out of his room. “How’d your date go?”

“Wonderful. We’re having sex right now.” Cas takes another pull off the bottle. 

“Did you use the story?”

“Yes, I used the story!” he snaps. “Your story sucked!”

Gabriel furrows his brow. “That’s not possible. You must have told it wrong.” 

Cas takes a look at Gabriel as he sits on the other end of the sofa. “You got a date tonight?”

“Hells yeah! You know that pretty little Omega down at the coffee shop? He finally said yes!”

_ Well, at least someone’s getting some action _ . “Good for you.” Cas deadpans. 

“C’mon, Cas.” Gabriel pats his leg in encouragement. “Tell me the story. Let’s make sure you’re doing it right.”

“Why? It’s pointless.”

“When’s the last time you’ve seen an Omega naked?”

“So, I was backpacking in Western Europe, and I was in the foothills of Mount Tibidabo, and at the end of a path -”

“Cas. Stop. Just stop. This isn’t working.”

“I KNOW.”

“You’re going too fast. You gotta slow down. I mean, I’m not getting all hot and bothered by how you’re telling it. Are you getting hot and bothered?”

“Gabe, it’s been six months. I’m  _ always  _ hot and bothered.” 

“Point taken.” Gabe looks at his watch. “Look, I gotta go, but why don’t you do what I do when I need to make a presentation at work - I tape myself giving the speech and then watch it to see what needs improvement.”

Cas considers it for a moment. “That might not be a bad idea. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He chucks Cas on the arm and heads out for his date. 

Cas pulls out his phone, finds the video setting and hits record, leaning it up against a stack of magazines on the bookshelf across the room so he can sit on the sofa. He sets it up backwards so he doesn’t have to look at himself while he’s doing this ridiculous thing. He takes another swig of his beer, takes a deep breath to gather the courage, and starts the story. 

“You know, a few years ago when I was backpacking in Western Europe, I found myself -”

“Cas! Thank God you’re home!” Dean says as he bursts into Cas’ apartment, a box in his hands. Cas can smell the anxiety radiating off him. “I need your help.”

Cas glances between Dean and the phone, unsure if he should turn it off. He is shaken out of his thought when Dean asks if he was talking to himself. “Um. Sort of? I was practicing a lesson.”

Dean nods. “Oh. Cool.” He plops down on the sofa, depositing the box on the table. “Can you help me out? I told Bobby I’d stuff these envelopes, but I’ve put it off for like a week now and they have to go out tomorrow.”

“Yeah, sure.” 

~oOo~

_ Present day…. _

“I got to helping Dean with the envelopes, we had a few drinks, and I ended up completely forgetting about the phone, I swear.” Cas looks at his friends expectantly, hoping that they’ll believe him. 

“Yeah, we’re gonna need to see that video.” Jo says. 

“Absolutely.” Gabriel agrees.

Cas can hardly believe what he just heard. There is no way he’s showing them that video. “What? No!” 

“If it helps, we don’t need to see all of it.” Charlie says.

“Speak for yourself.” Gabriel mutters as Cas shoots him a death glare.

“God, you’re gross.” Sam says. 

“And yet you’re dating me.” He leans in for a kiss. 

Cas shakes his head. “No. I should’ve just deleted it. I didn’t even watch it.” Why the hell didn’t he delete it? He should have. He knows he should have. He’s been tempted to watch it a few times since then, but he’s never gotten the courage to do it. Or over the guilt over having taped it in the first place. 

“If it helps, I can show you at least two videos of me having sex.” Gabriel says as Sam’s head drops, his hair doing nothing to hide the deep blush blooming on his cheeks. 

Cas rolls his eyes. “That absolutely does  _ not  _ help. Why would I want to see that?” He will never understand the depths his brother’s depravity sinks to. 

“Hey!” Sam says snapping his head up. “What do you mean ‘at least’ two videos?”

Gabriel holds Sam’s hand gently and gazes into his eyes. “They were all before, baby.” He says. “You’re all that matters now.” 

It’s a goddamned miracle they ever got together, even more so than he and Dean. 

“Cas, why didn’t you delete the video?” Charlie asks. He can see the pity in her eyes, and he looks away.

“I don’t know. I just...didn’t.” And he’s kicking himself for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apparently like a lot of short chapters than one or two long ones. Huh. Learn something new about yourself every day. *smooches*


	12. The One Where Dean Gets Pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean remembers the night he got pregnant.

“So now that you’re a porn star, what’s your film name?” Gabriel asks. “k.d. Hang? Ooh. I like that.” He just doesn’t know when to quit. “You can’t have Ken Adams. That’s the name I give all my one-night-stands.”

“Nice try, Gabe.” Sam says. “No one gives out fake names.”

“Of course they do!” Gabriel turns to Jo and offers a hand in greeting. “Hi. Ken Adams.”

Jo takes the hand, smiles, and without missing a beat says, “Paige. Paige Turner. Nice to meet you.”

“How do you even  _ do  _ that?” Charlie asks. “Lying like that isn’t natural.”

Cas hears the bedroom door open and looks toward the hallway. He’s a little surprised that Dean leaves his room knowing how he can stew for hours on end. He watches as Dean walks down the hall and into the living room. He doesn’t realize he’s holding his breath until Dean sits.

“I...decided to give you a chance to explain.” 

“Look at you being all mature and shit.” Jo says. 

“Yes. I’m mad you taped us. How would you feel if someone taped you?” Gabriel opens his mouth to answer but Dean shuts him up with a glare and a finger point daring him to say something. 

“Dean, Cas told us what happened, and it really does sound like an accident.” Cas is grateful that Sam believes him. If Dean is going to listen to anyone, it’s his brother.

Cas reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He looks at it for a moment before unlocking it and holding it out to Dean. “Here. You can delete it so you know it’s gone. I promise I didn’t watch it.”

As Dean reaches for the phone, the others yelp in protest at him. “What?”

“They want to see it.” Cas sighs. 

“Yeah! We want to know who made the first move.” Gabriel waggles his eyebrows at them and Sam smacks him in the back of the head. “Ow!”

“You really want to watch it?” 

“Not all of it -” Charlie starts.

“Speak for yourself.” Gabriel mumbles.

“Just the first little bit leading up to the sex.” 

Cas tries to convince them again. “No. Guys. It’s Dean’s decision, and he wants to erase it.”

Dean looks up at Cas. “I want to see it.”

~oOo~

As soon as Dean slams the bedroom door, he starts pacing and shakes out his hands in frustration.

Cas taped them having sex. Without his permission. 

He wonders if it’s hot. 

_ No, it’s not. It’s wrong. _

_ Yeah, but how does it look? _

_ It doesn’t matter. It’s  _ **_wrong._ **

He still kind of wants to see it. 

“Dean?” He freezes at Cas’ voice. “Please let me in.” He says nothing. “Baby?”

He hears Cas try the doorknob, but Dean had locked it. He doesn’t even know why. He waits for a moment, barely breathing until he hears Cas softly padding back down the hallway. 

God, they _ just  _ got back together. 

_ Who tapes themself having sex?  _

“Gabriel.” He whispers.

_ Okay. That’s a given, but - oh, God, please don’t let there be a tape of him and Sam for me to find.  _

He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths to try to calm his racing heart. He’s about to flop on the bed when he hears the gang’s muffled voices. If he’s quiet about it, he can crack the door and listen to them. 

_ I shouldn’t eavesdrop. _

_ And Cas shouldn’t have taped us. _

_ Touché. _

Dean crosses to the door with exaggerated footsteps so as not to make a sound. On the carpet. In his stocking feet. 

_ Dumbass.  _

He carefully wraps his hand around the doorknob taking care not to jostle it and turns it slowly. When it’s turned as far as it can to, Dean pulls open the door just enough so that he can see the wall outside. He’s thankful that the door’s opening is toward the living room, so the gang isn’t likely to see it move much, if at all.

As soon as it’s open he hears Gabriel saying, “...wearing enough leather and feathers to make even me blush.” Dean makes a face and wonders what the hell he just missed. 

He listens for a bit and hears Cas say that the whole thing is Gabe’s fault to begin with. Dean snorts as he thinks,  _ Yeah, right.  _ He stills again as he waits to see if anyone heard him. So far, so good. 

Cas mentions a problem he was having. That he hadn’t gotten laid in a while and wanted Gabe’s help. 

_ Oh. OH! _

Dean’s conscious suddenly gets the best of him. He can’t listen in no matter how much he may want to hear the explanation. He’ll wait to hear Cas tell him himself, so he closes the door again just as cautiously as he opened it. 

Dean thinks back to that night, wracking his brain trying to think of when Cas could have possibly set up a camera. All they’d done is stuff envelopes for Bobby before….

~oOo~

Cas practically pounces on Dean, kissing him hard. Dean hardly has time to set his beer on the coffee table before he was kissing Cas back just as urgently. 

Cas tries to push Dean down on the sofa, but Dean pushes back and straddles Cas’ lap instead. He looks down at the Alpha as he grinds their crotches together, pulling a sinful moan from Cas’ mouth. 

Cas’ hands slip under his t-shirt and roam Dean’s back as he leans down to kiss him again. Dean feels Cas’ hands slide around to his chest and pinch his nipples and it’s Dean’s turn to moan. He pulls away from Cas and yanks his shirt off so Cas can -  _ oh yes -  _ suck on his nipples.

Dean’s hands go to Cas’ hair and he runs his fingers through it. He arches his back and sucks in a breath as Cas gives the left nipple a good bite. Slick pours out of his ass as he takes in the small grunts Cas makes. 

“God, yes.” When one of Cas’ hands gives his ass a solid smack, Dean has had enough. He jerks Cas’ head from his chest and bends so that they are almost nose to nose. “Fuck me, Alpha.”

With surprising strength, Cas grips the back of Dean’s thighs and flips him onto his back on the sofa. He covers Dean with his body and they kiss again, rougher than before, teeth clacking together. 

Dean reaches down between them and fumbles to open Cas’ jeans. When he’s successful, he shoves his hand into Cas’ underwear and grips his cock, stroking it a few times, enjoying the sound Cas makes above him. 

Cas pulls away, leaving Dean momentarily confused until he realizes that Cas wants to get naked, standing to get undressed. Dean quickly follows suit, lifting his hips so that he can slide his own jeans off and toss them on the floor with his shirt. 

“Gorgeous.” Cas mutters as Dean blushes. Cas used to say that all the time and it always made him uncomfortable. He’s not sure why, but it still kind of does. Especially as Cas stands there, naked, pumping his cock, staring down at him. 

“Condom?” Dean asks, deflecting Cas’ attention. Cas picks up his jeans and fishes out his wallet. He finds the packet and tosses it on the coffee table, dropping the jeans and wallet back on the floor. 

“Let me watch you, Omega.” 

Dean knows exactly what Cas is asking him to do - Cas wants to watch him open himself up. A little teasing game they used to play. Dean nods and scoots down a little more on the sofa, grabbing one of throw pillows to prop up his ass a bit. One leg goes on the back of the sofa, the other he pulls to his chest and holds it there by the back of his knee. 

His free hand slides under his leg on the sofa, and he presses a fingertip to his hole. He doesn’t press it in right away, but swirls it around in the slick, getting a feel for it before he breaches himself. 

Cas growls.

“You like this, Alpha?” Dean groans as he presses the finger inside. He never takes his eyes off Cas. He pumps his finger in and out a few times, enjoying the slide, wishing he were prepped enough to take Cas’ cock already. 

Cas strokes himself with one hand and pinches his nipple with the other.

“That’s it, Alpha.” Dean slips in a second finger. “Getting myself nice and open for you. Gonna get fucked by that huge cock.” 

By the time he adds a third finger, Dean is past rational thought, and is reduced to breathy grunts as his fingers slide in and out of his ass. Dean takes in Cas’ own ragged breaths, flushed skin, and hooded eyes, his knot already beginning to swell. 

“Dean.” Cas’ voice is rough and he’s barely able to get the name out. Dean prides himself that he made Cas that way. 

“Knot me, Cas.” He removes his fingers from his ass and strokes his cock while Cas puts on the condom. 

Cas practically lunges at Dean. They kiss frantically as Dean wraps his legs around Cas’ hips. 

Cas supports himself with one hand as he rubs the tip of his dick against Dean’s hole. Dean knows he’s open enough, but Cas takes his time teasing him, the fucker. If that’s the way he’s gonna play, then Dean is fixing that right goddamned now. 

He grabs Cas by the hair, pulls him down and whispers, “Breed me.”

That does it. Cas growls and slams into him hard enough to move him up the sofa an inch or two. It’s exactly what Dean wanted and he just hangs on for the ride while Cas fucks him hard and fast. He knows it’s not going to last long, but it feels so good, he really doesn’t give a rat’s ass. The fact that he’s about to be knotted is enough to push him to the edge. 

Dean worms his hand between them and is about to jack his cock when Cas grabs it and holds it over Dean’s head. “You come on my cock, or not at all.” And when he shifts so that the next thrust hits his prostate, Dean knows he’s got another few thrusts before he comes. 

Soon, both of them can only manage a litany of  _ oh _ s and  _ yes _ es as Dean feels Cas’ knot catch on his rim for the first time. One more jab to his prostate and Dean comes with a near-silent grunt, spilling between them. Cas’ pace gets erratic and Dean feels the knot swell fully as he comes, locking them together. 

As Cas collapses on him, Dean is caught between thoughts of  _ God that was good,  _ and  _ what did we just do. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unexpected smut! Yay!


	13. The One where They Watch the Video

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang watch the tape to see who came on to whom.

“You... _ want  _ to see it?” Cas asks. “Why?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” Dean admits. 

“I know why I want to see it.” Gabriel says. Both Sam and Jo smack him upside the head. “Hey!”

“How about we start with why you taped us in the first place?”

Cas quickly explains how he set up the phone so he could practice his speech, but he blushes so hard that Dean is certain that it has to do with his wanting to get laid. 

Dean crosses his arms. He’s going to have a little fun with this now that he knows it really wasn’t intentional. May as well make him squirm a little bit. “You mean, your spiel to get laid.”

“What? I...how did you -” Cas’ sputtering is adorable. 

“I listened to you guys a little.” There’s a twinkle in his eye even though he blushes some as well. “All I heard was that you wanted to get laid and needed Gabe’s help. I stopped after that.” He offers a hand to Cas.

Cas takes the hand offered. “Are we okay?”

Dean nods. “We are.” 

“Oh, thank God.” Cas pulls Dean into him, wrapping his arms around his mate. The two scent each others’ necks as a display of affection. 

“Great!” Gabriel says. “Now that everything is hunky dory again, can we watch the video to see who came on to whom?” Everyone turns to look at him. 

Sam furrows his brow at his boyfriend. “Did you just -”

“That’s right. I did!” 

Dean breaks away from Cas and rolls his eyes. “Fine. If it’ll get you to shut up, let’s watch it.” The girls squeal just a little bit, and Dean immediately starts plotting his revenge on all of them for this. “You all just gonna gather ‘round?” He supposed they’d have to to have all six of them watch Cas’ phone. 

“Oh, hell no.” Charlie says, plucking the phone from Dean’s hands. “We’ll watch it on the big screen!”

“What are you -?” He realizes what Charlie is doing. She’s at the TV fiddling with the wires in the back for a second and then turns it on. And there, in living color, is the first frame of the video, paused and waiting to go. 

Charlie turns back to the gang. “See? Easy.” She hands the phone back to Dean. “Just unpause it.” 

“You’re a genius.” Jo says, reaching out for her. 

“I know.” Charlie sits on Jo’s lap and they kiss. She slides off and snuggles between her girlfriend’s legs.

“You’re sure about this, Dean.” Sam always looks out for him and it makes Dean smile. 

He takes a deep breath. “I am, Sammy.” He shifts focus back to the video. “Okay, so now we can all see exactly how Cas came on to me.” 

“I did no such thing.” Cas insists. 

“Sure, Cas.” Dean pulls Cas down next to him. “I believe you.”

Cas huffs as he sits. “Okay. But let the record show that I tried to take the high road here.”

“Okay, baby.” Dean pats Cas’ leg and his tone drips with sarcasm. He hits play on the phone and away they go. 

_ Cas hits the record button and sets the phone on the bookshelf across the room. The picture shows a closeup of the red sweater he’s wearing as he makes sure the phone is set. Cas then goes back to the sofa and sits, taking another swig of his beer. He takes a deep breath to begin the story. _

_ “You know, a few years ago when I was backpacking in Western Europe, I found myself -” _

_ “Cas! Thank God you’re home!” Dean says as he bursts into Cas’ apartment, a box in his hands. “I need your help.” _

“You’re gonna get pregnant.” Jo sing-songs.

_ Cas glances between Dean and the phone, stopping on Dean when he asks if he was talking to himself. “Um. Sort of? I was practicing a lesson.” _

_ Dean nods. “Oh. Cool.” He plops down on the sofa, depositing the box on the table. “Can you help me out? I told Bobby I’d stuff these envelopes, but I’ve put it off for like a week now and they have to go out tomorrow.” _

_ “Yeah, sure.” He stands and moves toward the kitchen as Dean sits on the sofa, setting the box on the coffee table. “You want a beer?” _

_ “Yes! Thank you.” Dean pulls out a stack of papers and sets them on the table, then does the same with the envelopes. He starts folding and stuffing. “I can’t believe I let this go on for so long.” _

_ “What do you mean?” Cas asks coming back from the kitchen. He hands Dean his beer, and Dean drinks most of it at once. Cas sighs and heads back toward the kitchen.  _

_ “Bobby has been on about this silly promotion for weeks.” He starts to mock Bobby’s tone of voice. “‘Come on, Dean. Gotta get these things out, Dean. Quit shilly shallying, Dean.’” _

_ Cas comes back with another beer which Dean takes as he finishes the first. “When does the promotion start?” _

_ “Tomorrow.”  _

_ “Well, Jesus -” _

Dean fast forwards the playback, stopping when he’s sure that Cas is done berating him for his lack of planning. During the sped up action, they can see that Dean has a third beer while Cas has had two by the time Dean stops and plays it again at normal speed.

_ “Hey, remember a couple of months ago when we...almost...you know….” Dean says. _

_ Cas smiles. “Oh, I remember.” _

_ “Do you think we would have done it if Gabe hadn’t come home?” _

“So I’m a cockblock, too?” Gabe pouts.

Jo smacks his arm. “Shhhhh.”

_ “I don’t know. Maybe? Probably? I mean, I know I wanted to.”  _

_ Dean shrugs. “Well, I wanted to.” _

_ “Huh. So we both wanted to.”  _

_ “Interesting.” Dean says.  _

_ The two continue stuffing envelopes.  _

“Okay.” Dean says. “In about ten seconds you’re going to see him kiss me.” He is confident that he remembers it correctly. 

“Yeah. And in about five seconds you’re going to see why.” 

_ Dean sets down the flier in his hand and takes a swig of beer, but doesn’t look at Cas. “So, um, Cas. Did I ever tell you about the time I went backpacking in Western Europe?” _

_ Cas freezes mid-stuff and looks up toward the camera.  _

“Oh, my God!” Jo squeals. “You came on to Cas!” She punches Dean in the leg. 

Dean pauses the video. “What are you talking about?”

“I told you.” Cas mutters.

“You used the Europe story!” Charlie says.

“What are you talking about?” Dean asks.  _ How the hell do they know about the Western Europe Story? _

“That’s the magic story you use when you want to have sex!” Gabriel says. 

“How do you know about that story?” Dean asks.

“More importantly,” Gabriel says, “how do  _ you  _ know about that story?”

“I don’t know. My friend Aaron heard it from some guy.”

Gabriel points to himself with one hand as he raises the other. “Some guy!”

Dean shakes his head. “No. No, I’m pretty sure Aaron said the guy’s name was Ken Adams.”

“Ken Adams!” Gabriel says, pointing to himself again.

_ How is that possible,  _ Dean thinks.  _ No. That can’t be right.  _ “How are you Ken Adams?”

“It’s the name I give -” Sam nudges him. “ _ \- gave  _ all my one night stands.” 

“Well, fuck.” He was certain that no one knew about that story. That’s why he insisted that Cas came on to him. He even started to believe it. 

“Are you willing to admit that you came onto me?” Cas tilts his head to Dean and cocks an eyebrow. “It’s okay, baby. You know you did.” His tone is playful.

Dean sighs in resignation. “Okay. Fine. Yes. I came on to you.”

Charlie and Sam both reach into their pockets and pull out cash to hand to Jo and Gabriel. 

“Really guys? Again?!” Dean really hates his friends sometimes. 

“Always.” Jo says. “This one was easy money.” 

Cas stands and holds his hand out to Dean. “Come on.” Dean takes the hand and stands. Cas then gestures to the television. “Charlie, please take this off the TV.” 

“On it.” She hurries over the the set and works her magic to make the picture go away. “All set.”

“Good.” Dean lets himself be lead to the door. He has an idea where they’re going. 

Of course, Gabriel doesn’t. “Where you guys going?”

“Downstairs.” Cas says simply. And out the door he and Dean go, ignoring the cat calls behind them.

“What are we doing?” Dean asks when they get to Cas’ door. 

Cas says nothing until they get inside. As soon as the door closes, Cas shoves Dean against the wall. “You need to be punished.” 


	14. The One with Dean's Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's punishment is almost too much to take.

“Oh, God. Cas. I can’t. I can’t do it.”

“You’re doing so good, Dean. Just a little more.”

Dean is on his side, naked, arms linked under his knees, pulling them up to his chest. He’s panting and sweating and nearly delirious with need. He’s not sure how much more of this torture he can take.

Cas lays behind him, also on his side, his face at Dean’s ass, and he pumps a dildo in and out of his hole, the angle perfect for hitting Dean’s prostate every time and leaving Dean a wreck.

They’ve been at Dean’s punishment for a good half an hour like this. Every time Dean gets close to coming, Cas pulls back and lets his body relax before starting over again. It doesn’t help that each time Cas stops with the dildo, he praises Dean, and places little kitten-licks to his hole, lapping up the slick that flows from the Omega’s ass, keeping him right on the edge of his orgasm. 

Dean has no idea how Cas manages to stay so calm when he’s about to cry from the sensation. His head swims as Cas rubs his back as if he knows Dean is ready to break. The arm under his legs has fallen asleep but the need to come is greater and he focuses all his energy on that, praying for release.

He’d forgotten this game. He’d forgotten the feeling of being kept on edge. He’d forgotten what a bastard Cas could be about it. It’s the kitten-licks that make him crazy. They feel wonderful, but their light touch is maddening. “Cas. Please.”

“Shhh, baby. We’re almost there, Omega. So good for me.”

Dean does  _ not  _ whimper. It’s more of a sob, but it’s enough for Cas to stop what he’s doing and ask if he’s okay. Dean is strung so tight that the words are out of his mouth before he can stop them. 

“Please, Daddy.” 

And he freezes. He knows that he’s just ruined the moment. He is never going to come now.  _ Sonofabitch,  _ he thinks. 

What he didn’t count on was Cas growling at him low and long. Or being manhandled, because the next thing he knows, Cas’s face is in his and he’s unfolding Dean from the position he’s in. The arm that’s asleep protests and lays limply on the bed, but the rest of him complies as he’s put on his back. 

Dean is scared for a moment, but when Cas practically folds him in half so he can sink his cock into Dean, both men groan, and Dean wonders if it’s possible to die from the sensation.  _ Finally,  _ he thinks.

Cas pumps into Dean roughly, making the entire bed rattle. He leans down to kiss Dean, his face still shiny with slick. When they break for air, Cas says, “Say it again.”

_ Say what again?  _ What did Dean just -  _ oh.  _ He keeps the grin to himself.

“Daddy.”

Cas growls again as he fucks Dean harder. 

“Come on, Daddy. Fuck me.” Dean is going to be paying for this in the morning, he’s certain of it, but he really doesn’t care. He’s so turned on by Cas’ possessive streak, he’ll gladly take the soreness that’s sure to come. 

“If you weren’t already -” Cas grits out. “God, yes.”

Dean feels Cas’ knot beginning to inflate as it catches just slightly on his rim. A few more thrusts and they’ll be locked together for a while. Dean reaches down to stroke his cock because he’s frankly surprised he hasn’t blown his load already considering how close he was a few minutes ago. 

“Knot me, Daddy.” Dean comes almost the second he gets the words out, and he lets loose a soundless shout as he does. He is so spent, he goes lax under Cas, trying to catch his breath while Cas keep fucking him. 

It’s not long at all before Cas comes with a shout of his own that Dean’s sure they heard upstairs. Cas collapses on top of him, both of them sweaty and now with a layer of Dean’s spunk between them. As Cas moves to roll them over, Dean has to stop him from going in the direction of the arm that’s still partially asleep. 

Once they’re settled on their sides, locked together, they trade lazy kisses as Cas cards his fingers through Dean’s hair. “You okay?” he asks. “I wasn’t too rough?”

Dean chuckles. “You were perfect.” He smiles wickedly before adding, “Daddy.”

Cas groans and covers his face with his hand. “Oh, God. I have a daddy kink.” 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. I like your daddy kink.” 

“Sure.  _ Now  _ you do. Just wait until you’re eight months pregnant.” 

“Then you fuck me from behind. If you think I’m letting that drop you are sorely mistaken.” Dean takes Cas’ hand and places it on his belly. “He didn’t mind at all.”

“He?” Cas raises an eyebrow. “Something you want to tell me?”

“Just a hunch. We won’t know for sure until sixteen weeks.” 

“Given any thought to names yet?” Cas keeps his eyes glued to where his hand lays on Dean’s stomach. 

“Some.” Dean concedes. “But we should do that together. I thought we could each make a list and see what names we have in common.”

“I’d like that.” Cas looks up at Dean, eyes determined, his brow set. “But we are  _ not  _ naming our child after any rock gods or cars.”

Dean pouts. “You don’t like Chevelle Zeppelin Novak?”

“I thought you said it’s a boy,” Cas teases.

“Axel, then. Or Ford. Zeppelin stays.” 

“You can name our dog that, not our kid.”

“No dogs. Cats.” 

Cas tilts his head like he’s thinking about it. “I can live with that. But two. Tops.”

“Don’t want to be the crazy cat lady of the neighborhood?”

“Same rule for kids. Two. Tops. Once they outnumber us, we’re screwed.” 

Dean laughs for real this time. “Then we have to go to a zone defense.”

“I don’t understand that reference.”

“Basketball, Cas.”

“Ah.”

Dean sighs and closes his eyes, snuggling closer to Cas. He can hardly believe he’s here. Through all their ups and downs, on a break, not on a break, deep down, this is where he’d always hoped he’d end up. He squirms when Cas kisses the mating bite. 

“You can’t go to sleep yet.”

“Mmm hmmm. Tired. Fucked me good.”

Cas laughs. “Well, yes, but we’re gonna be gross if we fall asleep now. Do you want to be sticky  _ and  _ crusty later?”

“Don’ care. Happy.”

“Me, too, Dean. Me, too.” 

Dean drifts off wrapped tightly in Cas’ arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [WinJennster](http://www.winjennster.tumblr.com) for the pinch hitting beta read.


	15. The One Where They're Having A....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's not really sure he wants to know what sex the pup is. Cas says he doesn't want to know, until he does.

Dean sits back on the half exam table - he has no idea what else to call it - in Doc Braeden’s office. He and Cas are waiting for her to come do the ultrasound. It’s not the first one they’ve had, but it’s the first time they’ll be able to find out the sex of the baby. 

They’d gone back and forth with names, Dean certain the pup was going to be a boy, Cas equally sure it would be a girl. 

“Bella,” Cas had argued.

“No fucking  _ Twilight  _ names.” Dean thought for a moment. “Beatrix.”

Cas frowned. “Beatrix? Like Potter? The children’s author?”

“Like Beatrix Kiddo from  _ Kill Bill,” _ Dean said smugly. 

“James,” Cas countered. 

“Jagger.” 

And so it went, round and round, Cas trying to convince Dean of a traditional name, while Dean did his best to impress upon Cas the importance of a stronger name knowing that Cary Grant wouldn’t have been  _ Cary Grant  _ if he hadn’t changed his name from Archie Leach. 

It didn’t help that every one of their friends wanted the pup to be named after them. Stupid friends and their gender-neutral names. Samuel/Samantha, JoAnna/Joseph, Charlie could go either way. But Gabriel in his infinite wisdom announced the pup could be “Gabriel for a boy. Gabrieletta for a girl.”

“Jesus Christ, Gabe,” Dean had said rolling his eyes. “How about just Gabrielle?”

“Oh yeah! That works, too.” 

So, now they sit, not quite so patiently waiting for Doc Braeden. They still haven’t decided if they really even  _ want  _ to know the sex of the pup yet. Cas says no, but Dean is still on the fence. 

“You really don’t like Ruth?” Cas asks suddenly. 

“Cas, no. I can practically  _ hear  _ the mah jong tiles clicking.” No way his pup was going to be named after some old biddy in a home. Cas deflates a little.

There’s a cursory knock at the door and Doc Braeden enters the room. “Knock, knock,” she says. “You guys ready for this?”

Dean mumbles a “no” while Cas says “yes.” She chuckles at the two of them. “I get it guys. This is a big deal. You’re finding out today!”

“About that,” Cas begins. 

“Something wrong?”

“No!” Cas insists. “We don’t  _ have  _ to find out today, right?” He cocks his head and makes a motion like he’s trying to lead the doctor to his way of thinking.

“Oh! Do you want to do a gender-reveal party?” 

Dean sighs. “Cas doesn’t want to know. He wants to be surprised.” 

The doctor nods her head. “And you do, is that it?”

“I haven’t made up my mind yet.” Dean feels bad about this decision. He’s been waffling back and forth for a week now. Part of him really,  _ really _ wants to know so he can plan ahead. Having all the right colors and styles ahead of time would be a huge weight off his shoulders. 

But not knowing? There’s something kind of cool about that, if he’s being honest. Ultrasounds are a new technology when compared to all of history when parents didn’t know what they were having. Jo crudely pointed out counting appendages. “Five, five, five, five, one,” she said for a boy. “Five, five, five, five, none,” for a girl. 

“Tell you what,” Doc says. “We’ll just do the ultrasound and when we’re done, if you decide you want to know, I can tell you. If you want to wait, that’s fine, too. How does that sound?”

Dean looks to Cas for guidance. Cas nods. “Yeah. That’s good.”

“All right,” she says. “Let’s do this. Scoot back a little. I’m going to let the table down so you’re flat.” 

“This ain’t my first rodeo, Doc.” Dean laughs. 

“I know, but it’s still nice to remind you what’s going on.” She lowers the table and Dean lays back, Cas holding his hand tightly. “Okay, lift your shirt up,” she says grabbing the tube of lube and pouring some on him. 

Dean hisses at the chill of the lubricant on his belly. It’s cold, yes, but he supposes it’s better than the speculum that’s never warmed up. He looks at Cas again and startles a bit at the tears welling in his mate’s eyes. He wonders why he’s not choking up. 

“Okay, here we go.” Lisa puts the doppler on Dean’s stomach and swirls it around in the lube looking for the pup. At sixteen weeks, it’s about the size of an avocado, and surprisingly difficult to find on the screen. “Where are you?” she asks the screen quietly, still moving the doppler around. 

Dean stares at the screen, transfixed, waiting for the pup to show its head. Or feet. Whatever. He catches a quick glance from Cas who’s just as invested and anxious to see it. 

“There you are!” The edge of the pup’s head comes into view and Doc slows her motions a bit so she can get a good look at it. She takes a few readings first to ensure the pup’s growth is on target before holding the doppler still as she turns up the volume so they call all hear the heartbeat. “Nice and strong. Your pup is right on track.” 

Dean can’t say anything. The pup is clearly more defined than it was at twelve weeks. It really looks like a pup now. Well, as close as he can tell from the fuzzy image on the screen. He squints a little to see if there’s a penis anywhere. Not that he’d be able to tell, but figures it might be sticking up a little.

“Okay,” Doc Braeden says. “We’re all good to go.” She removes the doppler and wipes it clean with a sanitizing wipe before handing a wad of towels to Dean to clean off the lube. She scribbles some notes in his chart before asking again if they want to know the sex of the pup. 

Before Dean can say anything, Cas says “No.” Dean will go along with it for now. 

Doc hands Dean his file, asking him to bring it up to the front when they check out. She says her good-bye and reminds them to come back in another four weeks, sooner if they think anything is out of the ordinary. “Light,” she says flicking the switch as she exits, leaving the boys blinking at the sudden brightness.

Dean finds another glob of lube and asks Cas for a paper towel. As he reaches for the dispenser, he notices the wall of baby pictures and hands the towel to Dean without looking at him. Dean takes the towel and the opportunity to open the file and peek at what Doc Braeden wrote. 

“What are you doing?” Cas asks when he turns back around. 

Dean snaps to attention. “Nothing! I wasn’t doing anything! I swear!” It’s a total lie since he was trying to see the pup’s sex, but he didn’t see anything. 

Cas narrows his eyes. “You were trying to find out the baby’s sex, weren’t you?” 

“No!” Dean protests again. He immediately caves “Yes. But I didn’t see anything, I promise.” 

The ride back to the apartment is quiet. They hold hands across the seat, each lost in their own head. Just as they get back to Dean’s apartment, Cas’ phone rings. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he says. “It’s Professor Crowley.” As if that explains anything. 

Dean feels bad about having tried to look at his chart. It was a momentary lapse is all. He’ll apologize to Cas and they’ll talk about it again. 

But when Cas does come back some twenty minutes later, he looks like the cat that got the canary. “So, I called Dr. Braeden,” he starts. “Now we both know the sex of the pup.” He smiles smugly. 

“What?” He wouldn’t have, would he? Of course he would. “I told you I didn’t see anything.” 

Cas settles into the sofa, crossing his arms. “Oh, stop it. You know it’s a girl. I was right.”

Dean’s world stops. A girl.  _ A girl.  _ “We’re having a girl?” He thinks the words came out, but they were whispered so quietly, he’s not sure. He feels tears prick at the corners of his eyes. 

Cas’ face falls. “Oh my God. You really didn’t know?” 

“A girl?”

“No?” Cas’ voice isn’t sure of anything.

“You did! You said a girl.” The tears spill from his eyes and his hands caress his belly. “Hey, Kiddo,” he says. 

He’s not taking Beatrix off the table yet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! My bad. I got caught up and freaking _panicked_ over the SPN Horror Bang that's coming due and let this slide. On the plus side, the Horror Bang is done, rough draft due 9/20 and my posting is on 10/12. So there's that. 
> 
> Thank you again to [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.tumblr.com) once again for the beta-ing.


	16. The One with the Baby Shower

Another three months go by without incident. At seven months along, Dean still works at the garage, but he’s not happy about manning the front office. Bobby had told him in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell he was getting anywhere near the inside of the garage. Dean had bitched so much that Bobby relented some, only letting him check things like brake lights and fluid levels. It wasn’t much, but Dean would take it. 

He and Cas still hadn’t settled on a name yet. Dean kept tossing out names of rock goddesses like Stevie and Chrissie and Janis while Cas offered up Henrietta, Gwendolyne, and Iona. The only name they’d been remotely close to agreeing on was Joan, Dean arguing Joan Jett, Cas for Joan of Arc. But then Gabriel brought up Joan Crawford and wire hangers, and the name was tossed out with the rest of them. 

Sam mentioned throwing him a baby shower to which Dean said “Absolutely not!” 

Which is why he is now at quite possibly the most inappropriate baby shower ever. 

The six friends along with assorted Novak siblings and Bobby and Ellen sit in a reserved corner of Omegas drinking beer (except for Dean, of course), eating wings, and watching the game on the big screen. No balloons  or decorations hang to indicate that the gathering is anything more than a group of friends hanging out.

It’s also quite possibly the most awesome baby shower ever. 

Dean’s smile is wide, and his cheeks hurt from smiling for almost an hour straight. He’s tucked into Cas’ side at the end of the booth since his stomach won’t allow him to sit at the table head on. He’s doing his best not to trip any of the waiters as they bring more beer and wings to their area. 

Cas kisses him on the head and whispers “I love you,” into his ear. Gabriel makes a gagging sound at the table across the way, and Sam slips his hand around his boyfriend’s mouth. Dean’s pretty sure Gabriel squeaked, but Sam’s hand muffled it well. 

When the gifts come out, Dean realizes just how out of his element he is. He’s never liked big to-do’s for his birthday, and he can’t even remember the last time he’s celebrated anything in a group like today. Maybe when Sammy graduated high school, but Dean wasn’t the focus of the party which was just fine with him.

“Prezzies!” Charlie announces bringing the couple a stack of boxes, topped with a couple of bags, depositing them in front of the couple. Dean unsuccessfully tries to look over the top of the stack.  

Dean and Cas take turns opening the gifts as their friends  _ ooh  _ and  _ ahh _ over them. Dean thought he might cry over the tiny black poofy polka-dotted dress and matching pink cardigan and shoes from Sam, but he held it together in the end. 

He paid attention to Cas’ face rather than the gift when his mate opened presents.  _ Mate.  _ Even after the past few months, Dean can hardly believe he gets to have this life. A few short months ago, just about the only thing on his mind was being as awesome as possible, and now Dean Winchester is mated, pregnant, and happier than he ever remembers being. He snuggles closer and loops his arm around Cas’.

Cas kisses him behind the ear and nuzzles him before reaching for the next gift in the pile. Dean smiles and quietly sighs. And feels some slick leak out of his ass.  _ Stupid hormones,  _ he thinks. His mind wanders to the night before and how thoroughly Cas had fucked him, and he blushes as he feels even more slick flow. 

_ Fuck.  _ He doesn’t think it’s enough for anyone to notice, but he’s not sure. He’ll stay put for now and hope that his hormones don’t kick in any further.    
  
Dean turns his attention back to the gift back that Cas roots through. He pulls out a contraption that looks like a yellow air horn. With a tube attached to it.  _ What the hell?  _

“Thank you, Ellen,” Cas says as if he has any idea what the fuck it is.

“You’re welcome, sweetie,” she says. “Although, that’s really not for you.” The group laughs.

Dean has no idea. “What is it?” he asks. “A baby beer bong?” That causes another round of laughter. “What?”

“It’s a breast pump you doofus,” Jo laughs as Dean blushes at the realization. 

“Oh.” 

Cas leans into him again and in his sex voice whispers into his ear. “If you’d like, we can try milking you later. Just not with that thing.”

Dean suppresses a groan as he feels even more slick flow. He probably should have worn a pad considering how horny he’d been over the past month. He takes a quick look around, but he knows that no one has any idea - he’s sitting down for crying out loud. He’s debating whether or not he should hit the head when Charlie hands him the last gift of the day. 

“This one is from me and Jo,” she says proudly letting go of the box. “It’s not really a baby gift, but it’s something you’ll get lots of use out of.” 

“This better not be a dildo,” Dean says under his breath as Cas nudges him to behave. He looks at the box and realizes it wrapped like one on television - all he has to do is lift the lid off. Dean gives Charlie a look that says “really?”

“What?” she pouts. “I thought it was cute.” 

Jo rubs her girlfriend’s shoulders. “Of course it’s cute, honey. Dean’s an ass. You know that.”

“Hey!”

“Dean,” Cas says with clear warning. He pulls off the lid of the box and gently moves the tissue paper out of the way so that Dean can peek in, too. They both blush at what’s inside.

Alpha condoms and lube. 

“Of course,” Dean mutters as the girls cackle. His mind wanders for a moment and he has to clench his hole to ensure more slick doesn’t flow out.  _ Damnit.  _

“At least it’s not a dildo,” Cas reassures him. 

Cas picks up a piece of paper that’s been folded in half. Printed on it are ten coupons for babysitting to be honored by Charlie and Jo whenever they need it. “Thank you,” he says, eyes grateful. 

“Told ya you could use it,” Charlie says smugly. 

Jo points back to the box. “There’s more,” she says. 

Dean can’t wait any longer. He’s got to go take care of the slick issue. “Hang on girls,” he announces as he slides out of the booth. “I gotta make a pit stop. Hold that gift ‘til I get back.”

As soon as he stands, Dean feels a little light-headed. He places a hand on the table to steady himself for a moment. Cas puts a hand on his and looks at him as if to ask if he’s okay. “I’m fine,” Dean says. “Just stood up too quickly is all.” 

But it’s not all. 

“Dean,” Jo says somewhat alarmed. “You’re bleeding.” 

He looks at the seat he just vacated and there’s a spot of blood on it. A hand reaches back to his ass and he realizes it wasn’t slick that he felt. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.


	17. The One with the Diagnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc Braeden explains what's happening with the pup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my wife, [WinJennster](http://www.winjennster.tumblr.com/html/) for a quick beta. ILY, bby.

The next half hour is a jumble of anxiety, worry, and outright panic. 

They’re only ten minutes away from the hospital, and Dean is ushered to the car with several people insisting that Cas not drive. Gabriel takes over and gets behind the wheel, Sam in the driver’s seat, while Dean and Cas take the back. Dean is too scared to argue.

Cas calls Doc Braeden’s personal cell and she tells him that she’ll call the hospital to tell them they’re coming and will meet them there, assuring him that she’s not that far away. He hangs up and pulls Dean close, attempting to soothe his mate by brushing his thumb over Dean’s knuckles. 

He doesn’t want to alarm Dean, but he’s scared. Petrified, and he knows that his scent permeates the car, stronger than the others’. He wishes it were more subtle; he doesn’t want Dean any more scared than he already is. 

It’s a pipe dream, though. Dean almost fainted when his fingers came away from his jeans with blood on them. Sam was the quickest and steadied his brother so he wouldn’t fall over.  He and Cas helped him to the car to make sure he stayed upright.

Gabriel makes it to the ER in six minutes. Sam practically throws himself out of the car and flings open Dean’s door to help him up and into the ER. Cas follows after Dean and Gabe parks the car while they head inside. 

The admitting desk has already spoken to Doc Braeden and Dean is rushed back to see one of the ER doctors on call. He’s given a bed, strips from the waist down as Cas steadies him, and is told to lie down as an ultrasound tech wheels in a portable machine. They ask Sam to wait outside, but as his mate, Cas can stay. Sam reluctantly agrees.

The doctor introduces himself as Doctor Sinclair who immediately begins to ask a litany of questions. No, he’s not cramping. No, he’s not having any contractions. No, he hasn’t spotted at all during the pregnancy. Yes, he’s been stressed; he hates parties, he nervously chuckles. Yes, he sees Doc Braeden regularly. No drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Yes, he and Cas had sex last night. The doctor scribbles Dean’s answers on his chart as the tech quickly lubes up Dean’s belly and presses the Doppler to it.

Cas lock eyes with Dean. He doesn’t think he’s ever been so scared in his life. Not when he broke his arm at six. Not when his father walked out on them. Not when his mother got cancer. The fear he feels now is an entirely different level. He does his best to keep it together for Dean’s sake. 

Cas looks up at the ultrasound. “What’s going on?” he asks. “Will she be okay?” His voice shakes as he squeezes Dean’s hand. She has to be okay. Anything else isn’t an option. 

“I think I know what’s going on, but I’d like to wait for Doctor Braeden to make sure,” Sinclair, an Omega, says. “I know you’re scared, and you’re worried about the blood, but it’s actually not as bad as you think it is. I promise.”

“Knock, knock.” 

“Come in,” the doctor says. 

Doc Braeden pokes her head around the curtain, smiling warmly. “Hey, guys,” she says. She places a reassuring hand on Cas’ shoulder and rubs a circle on the blade. “What’s going on?”

“Doctor Braeden, I’m glad you’re here,” Sinclair says. He gestures to the ultrasound and hands her Dean’s chart which she looks over quickly. 

“Are you still bleeding, Dean?”

He blushes profusely. “I haven’t felt anything else leaking since we got here.”

“That’s good.”She then looks at the ultrasound and frowns. The tech has the Doppler placed low on Dean’s belly, moving it only a little. 

“Is that what I think it is?” Sinclair asks. 

“It looks like.” She asks the tech if she can have the Doppler and the tech turns it over to her. 

“What is it?” Dean asks. “Will I lose her?”

Her voice is soft when she answers him. “No. You should both be fine.” She touches a key and the image of their pup freezes on the screen.

Cas breathes an audible sigh of relief. He’s still scared, but now that Doc Braeden says the pup will be okay, he can breathe again. 

“Oh, thank fuck,” Dean says. “What did I do?”

“You didn’t do anything, Dean.” She sets the Doppler back into its holder and turns back to Sinclair. “I’d like to admit him and start him on terbutaline and steroids for the pup.”

“I agree,” he says. “I’ll get it in the works. You guys can talk.” As he exits the area, the motions for the tech to follow him. He closes the screen around them as he goes.

“So,” she starts. She grabs a handful of paper towels to hand to Dean to clean off the lube. “What you’ve got is normal. Well, not normal, but it’s something we can monitor and treat to keep your little girl safe.”

Both men breathe a sigh of relief.

“What you’ve got is called a partial placenta previa.” She turns back to the ultrasound and points to Dean’s placenta. “See this? That’s your placenta. And that,” she points to another part of the screen, “is your cervix.”

Cas watches closely as Dean nods. “Okay. But what’s going on with them?” 

“When you first get pregnant, your placenta sits low in your uterus. As you get further into the pregnancy, the placenta migrates -”

“It moves?” Dean looks horrified. “Like some monster growing inside me?”

Doc Braeden chuckles. “No worse than the other monster you’ve got in there,” she says pointing to the pup. 

“Yeah, but the pup is supposed to move. Since when do organs move around? Cas? Did you know organs move? I thought they were supposed to stay in one spot.” He sounds slightly panicked.

“Dean, shhhh. Let her explain.” 

“It’s not a permanent organ, Dean,” Doc Braeden explains. “It grows as the pup grows. And while it starts out low in your uterus at the beginning, it migrates to the top of the uterus, away from the cervix to allow the baby to be born. Your placenta is a little lower than it should be and is partially covering the opening.” 

“That’s it?” Dean asks. “That doesn’t seem like a big deal, right?”

“Well it can be,” she says. “But we’ll monitor you for a day, maybe two. We’ll see how the drugs work first. We want to make sure you get to at least thirty-six weeks.” 

“And the bleeding?” Cas asks. “What about that?”

“We’ll monitor Dean closely while he’s here. But, about that,” Doc Braeden smiles. “No more sex for the rest of your pregnancy.” 

Cas is horrified. “Did I -?” He can’t finish the sentence. The thought that he caused this makes him nauseous. 

She must see Cas’ face drain of blood because Doc Braeden reaches over to him. “Cas, no. It’s just something that happens. Could the sex have exacerbated it? Sure, but Dean just started his third trimester which is when previa tends to show itself, so really, you’re textbook.” 

“That’s good, right?” Cas asks expectantly.

“Good that we know what’s happening and that we can monitor it. I’m going to want to see you once a week from now until delivery, though. And, it’s entirely likely you’ll have to schedule a c-section.”

Cas, the stoic one, the rock of their friend group, lets a tear slip. He’s never been so relieved in his life. His pup is going to be okay. He wipes the tear away as another one falls.  _ Shit.  _ But he can’t help it. He’s breaking, and he doesn’t care. 

“So what’s next?” Dean asks. “Where do we go from here?”

“I’m going to have you admitted. I’m giving you a drug that’ll keep any contractions at bay.”

“But I’m not having any contractions,” Dean protests.

“No, but with the bleeding, it’s just a precaution. I’m also going to get you a steroid shot to help your girl’s lungs develop a little faster. If something happens and we can’t push you out to thirty-six weeks, this’ll help her to hopefully not be on a respirator too long.”

Cas doesn’t like the sound of that. At all. “We’re at twenty-seven weeks now. What happens if she comes early?”

“We’ll worry about that if it happens. Neither of you needs to be stressing about it. You are, however, likely going to be on a bit more bed rest than you’re used to.” Dean groans. “And I won’t be doing any more internal exams. We’ll stick to belly measurements and ultrasounds.” She stands and pats Dean’s arm. “Make sure your Netflix and Amazon subscriptions are up to date.”

“Thank you, Doc,” Dean says. 

“Yes, thank you, Doctor,” Cas echoes. 

She smiles at them again and slips behind the curtain leaving them alone. 

And with that, the floodgates open, and Cas’s tears flow freely. He’s not trying to hold them back anymore. He does try to do it quietly since they’re just behind a curtain and not in an actual room. He wipes them away even as more flow. 

“Hey, Come here.” Dean opens his arms and Cas practically collapses into him. “Oof! She’s okay, Alpha. We’re good.” 

“I know. I’m just relieved.” He huffs a laugh. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

Dean laughs a little himself. “Well, you know. A little drama never hurt anyone.” He runs his fingers through Cas’ hair. 

Cas sits up and kisses Dean’s belly. “It’s okay, little girl. Daddy will smack your father once you’re out of there.” He realizes he’s just kissed a spot of lube that Dean missed wiping away and he sputters as Dean chuckles at him. 

Dean pulls Cas close and kisses him. “I love you, you dork.”

“I love you, too, asshole.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like cliffhangers, not pain. Baby name reveal in the next chapter. :)


	18. The One with the Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo and Gabriel accidentally name the pup.

Cas takes a calming breath before he pushes open the door to the lobby where Sam and Gabriel wait, no doubt on pins and needles anxious to hear anything about Dean and the pup. He wasn’t expecting the entire baby shower transplanted from Omegas to the hospital. The lobby is thick with the scent of worry. 

“Cas!” Sam says urgently, beating the crowd over to his friend. “What’s going on?”  The family moves en masse toward him and Cas takes a step back so he doesn’t get overwhelmed. 

“They’re okay.” The party collectively sighs and the scent in the air begins to slowly shift. “He’s going to be admitted and given some medication to stave off early labor and he’ll be on a lot of bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.” 

“Oh, thank God,” Ellen says fighting back a sob. Bobby slips an arm around her for comfort. 

“Can we see him?” Sam asks. 

“Yeah, I need to yell at him for scaring us like that,” Gabriel jokes. Sam leans into him, shoving him with his shoulder. 

Cas nods. “After he’s been admitted, yes.” Sam surges forward and grabs him in a tight hug which he’s grateful for. He needs the contact now that he knows Dean and the pup are okay.

When Sam lets him go, he continues to answer questions about what happened being careful to leave out the likely why of it all. As much as he loves his brother, he doesn’t need any of Gabriel’s ribbing right now. 

With all the questions answered, Cas thanks everyone and is about take his leave to go back to his mate when Gabriel catches his arm. “You okay?” he asks. 

Cas’ smile is tired but sincere. “Yeah. They’re okay.” Even saying the words again removes some of the lingering tension. 

“Text me when you get a room. I’m gonna send everyone home and Sam and I will be up when you’re settled. Okay?” 

“I’m sure they’re gonna want to see Dean, though.”

“Too bad. He needs to rest. They can come back tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now go see your mate.”

**~oOo~**

Cas growls at the Beta nurse who tells him he can’t stay the night. She squeaks and bolts out of the room nearly knocking Jo over on her way in. 

“Jesus, Cas,” Jo chuckles. She carries the unopened gifts from the baby shower, and Charlie trails behind her. “She’s just doing her job.”

Cas turns and growl at her, too. He’ll be damned if he’s leaving Dean’s side any time soon. 

“Woah. Easy there, cowboy,” the redhead says putting up her hands. “Hey, guys.” 

Sam and Gabriel are snuggled up on a bench by the window, Gabriel wrapped up in Sam’s arms. Dean has told them more than once to knock it off when he caught them making eyes at each other. 

“Hello? I’m in distress over here,” he’d said. They’d laughed him off.

“Baby Winchester is just fine,” Gabriel said. “We’re just filling our friend duties by visiting when we’d much rather be at home with more fun activities.” Cas really didn’t want to know what kind of activities his brother had in mind. 

“Baby Novak,” Cas corrects as Dean throws a box of tissues at them which Sam easily catches. 

“We’re just glad Little Miss is okay.” Charlie places a hand on Dean’s belly and kisses his head. “You, too.” Cas suppresses the urge to growl at her, too.

“Yeah, way to ruin the party.” Jo sets the gifts down on the bedside table. There’s only the box from her and Charlie and a bag from the guys at Bobby’s shop. “They had to call the hazmat team in to clean up your mess.”

Cas watches as the blood first drains from Dean’s face and then rushes back as he drops his head. “Jo,” he warns. “You’re not helping.”

She immediately backpedals. “Oh, my God. Dean. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean - You couldn’t help it. I just -” 

Charlie slips a hand over her girlfriend’s mouth. “Stop talking, sweetie.” Jo nods behind the hand and Charlie kisses her forehead. “Give the man his last two gifts, would you?” 

Jo nods again and Charlie removes her hand. “That I can do,” she says. “You guys were pretty much done when you...you know. Anyway.” She hands Dean and Cas the bag. “This is from the guy’s at Bobby’s.” 

Dean holds the bag, tilting the opening towards Cas so he can pull out whatever is inside. 

It’s barely even worth the effort as the tissue paper just sits on top of the unwrapped gift. Cas shakes his head at it and laughs. “Of course.” He wads up the paper and tosses it at Jo. She catches it easily.

Cas reaches into the bag as Dean tries to peek at its contents. He pulls out a small stack of CDs, five of them which just confuse him. Why would their pup need CDs? When he realizes what they are, he can’t help but let out a little  _ oh  _ of surprise. 

“What is it?” Dean asks making grabby hands toward the CDs. “What are they?” 

“Perfect.” Cas hands them over. 

Dean barks out a “Ha!” as he looks them over. It’s a series of music called  [ _ Rockaby Baby _ ](http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/home) where classic rock is turned into lullabies. The stack includes  [ AC/DC ](http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/music/lullaby-renditions-ac-dc.html) ,  [ Led Zeppelin ](http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/music/rockabye-baby-lullaby-renditions-of-led-zeppelin.html) ,  [ Metallica ](http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/music/rockabye-baby-lullaby-renditions-of-metallica.html) ,  [ Queen ](http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/music/rockabye-baby-lullaby-renditions-of-queen.html) , and… “Who stuck  [ Taylor Swift ](http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/music/taylor-swift.html) in here?” Dean demands as Jo and Sam cackle at the memory of how Sam found out Dean was pregnant. “Shut it,” he tells them. They do their best to stifle their laughter, but it’s a losing battle.

“Who the hell even uses CDs anymore?” Gabriel wonders aloud. “Haven’t they heard of digital downloads?” 

Sam shoots him a look as Charlie says, “They’re a bunch of old guys. You’re lucky they weren’t cassettes.” Gabe silently concedes the point. 

“And now, the best for last,” Jo says practically bouncing on her toes. “I really hope you like it.” 

Charlie rolls her eyes. “Even if you don’t, fake it and tell her you do. She’s fretted over this thing for  _ months. _ ” She takes Jo’s hand in an effort to calm her down. It works only marginally. 

“I’m sure it’ll be lovely,” Cas says. He lifts the lid off the box again. The condoms and lube are still on top of the gift and Dean unceremoniously scoops them up, dumping them into the bag with the CDs. 

“I hope it’s more condoms and lube!” Sam smacks Gabe’s leg. “What? It’ll be good for them.”

Cas pulls the tissue-wrapped item out of box and flips it over to unwrap it carefully. Charlie reaches for the tissue paper once it’s off. He hands it to her and she balls it up and tosses it in the garbage. 

The item is a framed picture. That much is obvious from the back of it. Cas flips it over and has no idea what he’s looking at, or why Jo is so excited about it.

Dean, of course, is much more blunt. “Birds? A picture of birds?” 

“Albatrosses, actually,” she pouts. 

“Really?” Sam stands to take a look at the picture. He clearly understands the implication of the birds. “Jo, that’s nice.”

She blushes and looks back at Cas and Dean. “Do you get it?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t.” Cas’ voice is contrite. He wishes he understood it immediately. “They’re pretty, though.” 

Jo sighs. “Okay. Albatrosses -”

“Albatreese,” Gabriel helpfully supplies.

“It’s like fish,” Sam says. “Albatross is both singular and plural.”

“Albatr _ osses, _ ” Jo stresses, “mate for life. They have a very complex mating dance to attract a mate.”

“Kinda like you two,” Charlie says. “Dancing around each other for-fucking-ever.” 

Sam interjects, “They grow old, too. To like fifty. And they don’t mate until they’re like ten.”

“Plus, some colonies have been known to have upwards of thirty same-sex couples, each parenting an egg.” She takes a deep breath to keep going. “So you see, just like albatrosses, you’re a same-sex couple, and you were  _ eventually  _ mates.”

“Morons, always, though,” Gabe says. He snorts at his own joke.

“Eventually mates,” Cas repeats.

“Morons always,” Dean finishes. 

They look at each other and smile, their eyes getting wet with tears. “It’s perfect,” Cas says. 

“What’s perfect?” Charlie looks between them and their friends, obviously wondering what the hell she missed. 

Dean doesn’t break Cas’ eye contact. “Emma.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to [SupernaturallyNoble](http://www.supernaturallynoble.tumblr.com/html/), aka [ANobleCompanion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANobleCompanion/pseuds/ANobleCompanion) for help with that anagram.


	19. The One with Emma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Emma, stage...south.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'd be absolutely _lost_ without [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.tumblr.com). Thank you for the beta, the bouncing, and the briefing, bby.

“Cas, I can’t.” Dean’s eyes are squeezed tightly shut. He actually hasn’t opened them in hours as if trying to block out everything else around him.

“Yes, you can,” Cas says calmly. He ignores Dean’s head thrashing, a silent insistence that he’s done. “You’re doing beautifully.” Cas brushes the hair off Dean’s sweaty forehead and kisses it gently. “You’re doing so well for Emma.”

Dean has been in labor for about ten hours now, hard labor for about one. His hand grips two of Cas’ fingers, a trick Doc Braden taught them so that Dean wouldn’t break Cas’ hand squeezing when a contraction hits. They still have constant touch, and Cas’ metacarpals remain intact. 

It’s just gone nine am when Dean’s phone rings in Cas’ pocket. 

“Really?” The nurse asks. The name she wrote on the whiteboard in the room is Meg. Cas had taken an instant liking to her.

Cas fumbles for the phone as it plays “Everyone Loves A Clown” as he blushes for forgetting to turn it off. Once it’s out of his pocket, he touches the screen in an attempt to silence the song, but it continues to play. Cas curses as Dean yanks the phone from his hand. To Cas’ surprise, he answers it.

“Little busy here, Sammy,” he barks as Meg chuckles. He waits a moment to hear what his brother has to say. “Yeah, we’re not making breakfast. I’m giving birth.”

The holy shit on the other end of the line is heard by both Cas and Meg. She pats Dean’s leg and says, “You sure are, buddy.” 

Dean hangs up and hands the phone back to Cas, who slips it into his pocket again. “Sam and Gabe will be here soon.”

“I gathered,” he deadpans. Cas figures that Charlie and Jo will accompany them. Assuming Jo’s even awake yet. He sort of doubts it. 

Doc Braden pokes her head into the room. “Can I get another look?” she asks. 

“I think you’ve looked enough,” Dean snaps. Cas squeezes his arm as a silent rebuke.

“Easy there, tiger,” Meg says. “You want that pup out of you, right?”

Dean mumbles an apology as Doc Braeden sits at the end of the bed and smiles. “I’ve heard much worse, believe me.” She quickly snaps on a glove to check his dilation. She pokes around for a moment when Dean yelps.

“Christ, Doc! You trying to check my tonsils? How far up there are you?” 

“You can feel that?” Her brows furrow.

“Yes!”

Doc Braeden nods and turns to Meg. “Turn up the drip a notch, please, Meg.” She tosses her glove into the hazard bin, covers him back up, and tells Dean that he’s almost ready at about nine centimeters.

Cas looks surprised. “But he was only six an hour ago.” 

“That’s how it goes sometimes, Clarence,” Meg says.

“Castiel.” He’d be angry at her if he weren’t otherwise really, really distracted.

“Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Sometimes it goes quicker than other times. I’d say about another hour and that pup will be here.” 

Doc Braeden nods in agreement. “I’d say that’s about right.” She turns to look at the cardiotocography printout of Dean’s contractions. “Your contractions are getting longer and harder. It won’t be long now.”

Dean lifts his head off the table and looks at Cas. It’s the first time he’s opened his eyes in a while. “Please. Make it stop. I can’t do this anymore.” His hand squeezes Cas’ fingers tightly.

Before Cas can answer, Meg pipes up. “Trust me. You’re gonna want the natural delivery if at all possible. C-sections are overrated.” She holds up a cup of ice chips for Dean and he downs a few. 

“Your bedside manner is atrocious,” Cas tells her. She shrugs in agreement. 

~oOo~

The next half hour is filled with contractions and curses as Dean’s labor progresses. He’s convinced he’s not going to be able to push the pup out. He’s so out of it, he’s not even sure he’s feeling anything anymore. 

Cas continues to lavish him with praise and love and wipes his brow gently. 

“You ready?” Doc Braeden asks him. Dean shakes his head. “Not much of a choice now, though.”

“Buckle up,” Meg says. “‘It’s gonna be a bumpy night.’” Her Bette Davis impression isn’t too far off.

Everyone except Doc Braeden is mostly silent after that. She explains to him when to push, how long to push, and when to rest. Dean had asked her not to tell him the progress except for when Emma was born. He’s being stupid, he knows, but he really doesn’t want to imagine Emma’s head breaching his body. 

Cas, God love him, has stayed with him the entire time. Even when Meg suggest Cas go find something to eat before the hard labor started, Cas insisted on staying with him. Dean wonders for at least the thousandth time what he ever did to deserve a mate like Cas. So warm and loving. So perfect and -

“Jesus Christ!” Dean yelps. “What the fuck?”

“You didn’t push when I asked, so I had Meg turn down the trip a hair,” Doc Braeden says. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t too numb.”

“Not anymore,” Dean grits out. 

“You’re almost there, Dean.” Cas says. Dean notices he’s stepped down toward the end of the bed. He hasn’t let go of Dean’s hand, so Dean yanks on it to pull him closer. “You’re so close now.”

“Push!”

Dean pushes and good God can he feel it this time. How the hell did Omegas ever do this without drugs? 

“Okay. Rest.” Doc Braeden says. “You’ve got one, maybe two more and she’ll be here. I promise.”

Dean nods. He feels the crest of the next contraction building already. Fuck. He’s got to do this. He doesn’t want to, but he does. Doc instructs him to keep pushing, longer than he has before. Meg and Cas hold him up as he does.

“That’s it! She’s here!” Doc Braeden sits back with Emma and hands her off to a couple of nurses that Dean never noticed come in. 

“Is she okay?” His mind goes into overdrive. He hasn’t heard a cry yet. He looks toward Cas, panic quickly rising in his chest. 

“She’s fine,” Meg says. “They’re cleaning her up and putting her bracelet on. I believe that was part of your instructions?”

Dean nods, remembering. He had asked that she be patted down after birth. When he hears her cry for the first time, Dean cries, too. 

“You hear that?” Cas asks him. “That’s our little girl. I’m so proud of you.”

“She’ll be over in a sec,” Doc Braeden says. “I’m going to get your placenta.” 

The nurse wraps her up, places a tiny pink beanie on her head, and brings Emma over, placing her on Dean’s chest. He cradles her gingerly, afraid she’s going to break. “Hey there,” he says to her. “Welcome to the world.”

“She’s perfect.” Cas stares at her, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “I think she’s got your nose.” 

Emma looks up at them and yawns. 

Dean chuckles. “Rough day, huh kid? Me, too.”

Just then the door flings open and Gabriel barges in. “Where is my new nie - WOAH! I did NOT need to see that!” He stops short at the sight in front of him. Dean is still in the stirrups, sheet up, as Doc Braeden is fist-deep into Dean’s ass. 

“Gabriel!” Sam hisses from outside the room. “Get back here!” It’s the loudest whisper Dean has ever heard. 

Gabriel puts his hands up in apology. “I heard crying. I figured it was over. My bad.” He turns on his heel and heads back out. “Miracle my ass,” he mutters as the door shuts behind him.


	20. The One where It Almost Happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas has plans. Dean is an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [WinJennster](www.winjennster.tumblr.com) for the quick beta read.

“CAS!”

Cas drops the plate he’s rinsing off and bolts toward the nursery, afraid of what he’ll find. 

Emma has been home for two whole weeks now, and it’s been a challenge to keep up with all her needs. Cas knew it would be tough, but he never imagined he’d be this sleep deprived. He thought his mother was kidding. 

He skids to a stop in front of Emma’s room. “What? What’s wrong?” He looks around the room frantically. 

Dean stands at the changing table, one hand lightly resting on Emma’s belly, the other wiping off her face with a towelette from the warmer. 

“I need to change,” Dean says gesturing to his back which is covered in baby puke. 

Cas chuckles. “Is that all? I thought it was something important.” He crosses to the table, prepared to finish the job. 

“Dude, it’s soaking through my shirt. I gotta get it off.” Dean heads toward their room to change.

Cas smiles at Emma. “Did you barf on Daddy, sweet-pea? Good job.” 

“Hey!” Dean yells. “Just wait until it happens to you, you jerk!”

As Cas finishes wiping off Emma’s face, she makes the cutest face he’s ever seen. Emma is adorable and he can hardly remember what his life was like before her even though it’s only been two weeks. Between his daughter and his mate, he doesn’t think his life can get any better. 

“Come on now,” Dean says to him. Cas looks up and sees him tugging his new t-shirt over his belly. “Gimmie that baby.” He makes a grabby hands motion at Cas. 

“Never. Get your own baby,” he teases. He picks Emma up and cradles her in his left arm. He lightly boops her nose which she promptly wrinkles at him. “Isn’t that right, sweet-pea? Daddy can get his own baby.”

Dean presses himself against Cas’ back and wraps his arm around him. He hooks his chin on Cas’ shoulder and rests his head against Cas’ as he looks down at Emma. “I love you both,” he says. 

“We love you, too.” His heart almost hurts with how much he loves them. “Why don’t you go take a nap. I’ve got her.” 

“You sure?”

“Mmm hmmm. Emma and I will be just fine.”

“Okay. But no plotting anything without me.” He kisses Cas’ head as he extricates himself and then kisses Emma’s head. He exits to their room, closes the door, and turns on the fan. 

“What now, kid?” Cas asks her. “What do you feel like doing?” She doesn’t answer him with any noise at all. She just looks at him. “Oooh. I know what we can do, but don’t you dare tell Daddy though, okay? It’s a secret.”

Emma burps and Cas takes that as a yes. 

~oOo~

Dean’s first day back to the shop doesn’t quite go the way he thinks it should. 

He expects everything to go back to the way it was before he got pregnant, but apparently, Bobby thinks that Dean is some delicate goddamned flower that can’t do his job anymore. He’d nearly stormed out when Bobby told him he needed to ease back into the routine, but Garth talked him down. 

He spends the day in the office shuffling paper, wishing he were back home with Emma. What if she hates her daycare? Sure, she’s two months old, but she’s already so smart Dean can’t stand it, the way she reaches for her toes. Kid’s a fucking genius if you ask him. 

Cas told him he was being ridiculous. A two month old child  _ couldn’t _ be a genius when they’re just trying to make sense of the brand new world around them. Dean insists that she knows exactly how many fingers she has as she shoves them in her mouth. He says that her tummy time is perfect and the angle that she lifts her head up at is exactly the angle the baby site says it should be. 

He’s looking forward to picking Emma up after work, but when he gets a text from Cas saying that he’s gotten her already, Dean mopes around the office for the last hour he is there. Bobby practically shoves him out the door a half hour before he’s supposed to clock out. 

Dean thinks about his daughter and his mate the entire way home. Home.  _ Ain’t that a kick in the head?  _ he thinks. His home is with Cas and Emma. He’s not sure why it hits him just then, but he’s overcome with melancholy. Sam had always been his home, and even though he hadn’t technically lived with Sam for months, he realizes that he never will again. 

When he makes it back to the apartment, Cas stands in the entryway. Waiting for him. It’s kind of creepy and Dean startles a bit. 

“Hey, Cas. Emma sleeping?” He shucks off his coat and accepts a hug from his mate. It feels good. Soothing. He’s always felt safe here. 

“She’s downstairs, actually. It’s just us.” His tone tells Dean there may be something serious going on. He even has his serious face on. 

Dean ignores it and hopes for something better, so he grins wickedly. “Oh yeah? Maybe this day is about to get better after all.” But when he goes to kiss Cas, the other man steps away to the sofa. “What gives?”

“We need to talk,” Cas says as he sits on the edge, elbows on his knees.

_ Oh, fuck.  _ Dean knows that nothing good comes from those words. Ever. And suddenly he knows that this is it. This is the other shoe. He’s been waiting for it to drop because nothing ever goes right in his life. Cas is about to break up with him, he’s sure of it. 

His stomach drops into the apartment below them, and Dean’s not sure he can move when Cas pats the sofa next to him. He stands there, staring at the floor, wondering why he didn’t see this coming sooner and he mentally berates himself for getting too comfortable with his life. 

“Dean?” Cas’ voice is almost a whisper.

Dean nods his head and says  _ yeah _ a few times to himself in order to will his feet to move. He can do this. He’ll just move back in with Sam. And Gabriel. Fuck. That won’t fly. He doesn’t want that little cretin and his corrupting influence anywhere near Emma. He’ll probably make her listen to boy bands and that’s just sacrilege, plain and simple. 

He moves slowly, as if he’s in a trance, and to be fair, he kind of is. He sits gingerly next to Cas as if he’s afraid to break something.  _ The silence,  _ he thinks. 

Cas touches his thigh and it’s enough to get Dean to look up. Cas has tears in his eyes. 

_ This is it. This is where it ends.  _

A tear slips down Cas’ cheek. “Shit,” he says wiping it away. “I promised myself I wouldn’t do this.” 

And that’s when Dean retreats in on himself. Whatever Cas is saying to him is muffled, like a Charlie Brown teacher. He doesn’t seem to notice that Dean’s checked out since his mouth still moves. 

Cas cries a little more and Dean thinks  _ Good. Serves him right. I’m not gonna make this easy.  _ If Cas is going to break up with him he hopes to God it hurts him. 

When Cas slides to the floor and pushes Dean’s legs open, Dean is only mildly interested. Cas’ arms engulf him and they pull him tight so that Cas snuggles into him. He mumbles something into Dean’s torso.

No. There is no way he’s doing this. He pulls on Cas’ arms and pushes him away. He stands and crosses to the kitchen for a drink. He needs about ten right now. 

“Dean?” Cas sounds confused. Well, what did he expect? That he could just crush Dean’s heart and everything would be fine? 

He pours two fingers of bourbon before deciding that three fingers would be better. Four even better yet. He doesn’t, because of Emma, but the temptation still lingers. 

Cas appears in the doorway. “You don’t want to say anything?” 

Dean downs the drink and slams the glass on the counter. “What do you want me to say?” He’s pissed now. Fuck Cas if he thinks this is going to be easy.

“Yes?”

“Why? Why would I do that?” He storms out of the kitchen and down the hall to their bedroom. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he’s going anyway. 

Cas is right behind him. “Because we love each other?” 

“Bullshit.”

“What?”

“You don’t!”

“Dean, what are you -”

“I bet you wish you could take back this mating bite, don’t you?”

“No! I would never -”

“You do this and you’re gonna have to BEG me to see Emma!” 

They’re both silent, each breathing heavily, Dean with anger, Cas with - 

Fear. 

Dean realizes he’s not angry. Cas is  _ afraid.  _ Terrified from the look on his face. 

Another few seconds pass quietly.

And then it happens. Dean’s epiphany.

Cas had looked happy when he came home. Nervous, even. 

_ Yeah, because he was going to break up with you. _

But Emma wasn’t there.

_ Because he thought it might get ugly. _

What did Cas actually say? Fuck. He kicks himself for zoning out. Was Cas...? No. Couldn’t be. But what if he was and Dean didn’t actually hear it. 

“Cas. Were you….what did you say earlier?”

A frustrated laugh escapes Cas. “Glad you were listening.” He wipes away another tear and turns to go. 

Dean darts ahead of him, blocking his path. “Oh, sweetheart, wait.”

Cas’ tears fall harder. “Don’t,” he says pushing past him. 

_ Fuck.  _ “Cas, please. I’m sorry I didn’t -”

Cas spins back, the anger bubbling to the surface. “Don’t you  _ dare _ tell me you’re sorry. If you don’t want to get married,  _ fine,  _ but you don’t  _ get _ to say sorry and have it be okay.”

_ Fuck.  _ Cas was trying to propose. Why didn’t he just listen instead of assuming? 

“Cas, wait!” He tries to catch him, but is met with the slamming of a door instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry.
> 
> ....and for the late update. Two SPN Reverse Bangs and art for the Sabriel Big Bang are finished, though. *whew*


	21. The One With Sam's Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam has an epiphany. But he's got to help Dean before he can do anything about it.

As Emma sleeps on Gabe’s chest, Sam wonders if he’ll ever have kids. 

And that thought makes him sit up a little bit. He’s never thought about kids before. Never thought about a mate before. 

“You okay, Sammy?” Gabriel asks quietly.

“Yeah.” It’s all he manages to get out. 

“You sure?” His hand draws soothing circles on Emma’s back. “You kind of jolted there. You remember a test or something?”

Sam smiles. Ever since he and Cas switched apartments, he’s sort of been walking on eggshells around Gabriel. Yeah, they’re dating, but it hasn’t even been a year yet. Even if they have developed a sort of routine around each other, they sleep in separate bedrooms. It’s not like they’re  _ serious  _ or anything. 

Except that he thinks it might be. They haven’t said it outright, but neither has dated anyone else since they got together. Their time together is easy, comfortable. Except when they fight over something stupid like Gabriel putting the peanut butter in the fridge -  _ It goes in the pantry!  _ Sam had yelled - or Sam holding Gabe’s phone up where the shorter man can’t reach it. 

_ Holy shit,  _ Sam thinks.  _ I think I love him.  _ And isn’t that a kick in the head? He looks at Gabriel and smiles brightly. 

“I don’t know what I did to deserve that face, but I’ll have to keep it up.”

Sam smiles wickedly. “Put that baby down and I’ll show you.” He teases Gabriel’s ear with a finger.

Just then, there’s a knock at the door, and they both groan. “I’ll get it,” Sam says reaching for the cash on the table. 

Gabriel furrows his brow. “That can’t be pizza already. It’s only been like twenty minutes. They said it’d be an hour.” 

“I guess we got lucky,” she says shrugging. Sam opens the door and he’s surprised to see Cas standing there.  _ Has he been crying?  _ “Cas?” 

Cas swallows and wipes away a tear with the heel of his hand. “Can I come in?” He waits to be invited in, which isn’t like him at all.

“Yeah, sure. You okay?” Sam shoves the cash in his pocket and his stare follows Cas across the room. He forgets to close the door until Gabriel reminds him. 

Cas sits on the edge of the corner chair. He rubs his thighs with his palms. Sam thinks he looks twitchy like he could bolt at any moment. 

“How’s Emma been?” He asks. His voice is rough.

“She’s been a fucking angel,” Gabe says warily. “What happened?” He sits up a little, Emma still enjoying her nap.

He starts to say something three times before Sam can’t stand it anymore. If Dean actually turned down Cas’ proposal…. “Did Dean say no?” His voice is a whisper, like if he says it out loud then it’ll break the spell of their relationship, because if any two people are ever meant to be together, it’s Dean and Cas. 

The wave of despair that comes off Cas is nearly stifling. Gabriel says he’s going to put Emma down in the pack-n-play in his bedroom. As he walks down the hall, Cas looks after his daughter longingly, like he’s never going to see her again. 

“Cas.” Sam tries to catch his attention, but he doesn’t register the voice at first. Sam clears his throat. “Cas?” 

Cas turns back to Sam as Gabriel and Emma disappear into the bedroom. His eyes have a haunted look to them and Sam wonders what the hell could have possibly happened to elicit this reaction. He looks like he’s about to speak, but stops abruptly and sobs freely, dropping his head to his hands. 

“Jesus.” Sam is up in a flash and puts his arms around his friend. His calming scent is nowhere near powerful enough to penetrate Cas’ sadness, but he’s not giving up. He lets Cas cry for a minute and then gently maneuvers him up and over to the middle of the sofa where he can properly comfort him. 

_ What the fuck, Dean?  _ He thinks. 

Gabriel pads back down the hall. Sam looks up and he makes a motion like Emma is out cold. He sits next to Cas, effectively sandwiching him between them. He runs his hand over Cas’ shoulder while Sam rocks him gently. 

After a minute, Cas pushes himself off Sam, mumbling apologies for being such a baby. Sam and Gabe both tell him he’s not being a baby and that it’s perfectly fine for him to have this kind of reaction. 

But reaction to what, Sam doesn’t know. All he knows is that it’s bad. Like “we were on a break” bad. Maybe even worse than that. Sam had only been sixteen at the time and Dean tried to shield him from the worst of it, he’s sure. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sam asks quietly.

Cas snorts. “Not really, no.”

“Can I go punch him?” Gabriel asks. 

“That won’t help anything,” Cas says. 

“It’ll help  _ me, _ ” Gabriel says. 

Sam smiles at that. His boyfriend protecting his brother. Which is why if anyone is punching Dean, it’s gonna be Sam. “I’m going up,” he announces. 

“Sam -” Cas starts.

He holds up his hands. “No. You talk to your brother. I’ll talk to mine. Then we’ll figure out what the hell is going on, because, Cas?” He takes a deep breath. “You two are mated. You have Emma. Whatever Dean did to cause this? I’m going to make sure he fixes it. And fixes it good. You don’t deserve this.”

“Go get ‘em,” Gabriel exclaims. He suddenly realizes how loud that was and he cringes as he apologizes to Emma even though there’s no way she heard him. 

**~oOo~**

“Sammy, thank God!” Dean exclaims. He rushes over to his brother and Sam is struck by just how bad he looks. Almost as bad as Cas. “I fucked up.” 

He grips Sam’s biceps in an effort to make his brother understand even though he hasn’t said anything yet. He’s not even sure what to say.

“I’m aware,” Sam says coolly. “Cas is downstairs crying his eyes out.”

“Fuck!” Dean starts pacing. Maybe if he can pace fast enough he can go back in time like Superman or The Flash. 

“Yeah, fuck. What the hell happened?” He’s got one of his patented bitchfaces plastered in place. 

“I fucked up.” Dean’s voice is strangled.

Sam goes to the kitchen for a beer. “I got that much. But what did you  _ do? _ ” He doesn’t offer one to Dean. He can get his own if he wants one. 

Dean says nothing and Sam takes the opportunity to forge ahead. “So, Gabe and I know Cas was going to propose tonight. He showed us the ring and everything. Told us his plan”

Dean stops dead in his tracks and he gapes at Sam. “He has a ring?” 

“Of course he has a ring. He was going to ask you to marry him!” 

“Fuck.” 

“You gonna give me the long version or the short version?”

Dean takes a deep breath and plops down next to Sam. He scrubs a hand over his face. Sam’s not going to give him any leads. Dean has to do this on his own. “I had a shitty day.”

Sam snorts and takes a swig of beer. “So has Cas.”

“I just thought that my first day back would have gone better, you know? Bobby’s still treating me like some delicate flower.”

“Give him time. You know how he is.”

“Then I just wanted to pick up Emma and go  _ home.  _ But Cas had already gotten her.” He pauses, and Sam simply waits for him to continue. “ _ I  _ wanted to be the first to pick her up.  _ I  _ wanted to see how her day went. To see that smile when I came to get her. And then I get home and Cas is standing in the doorway telling me that Emma is with you and Gabriel and that ‘we have to talk.’”

And Sam instantly knows what happened.  _ We have to talk _ to Dean means everything he knows and loves is about to change for the worse. He groans before he can stop himself.

“I know.” Dean’s voice is soft, his head bowed. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, but I couldn’t help it. It was like I was four again and Mom was about to tell me that Dad wasn’t coming home anymore.”

Sam sets down his beer and wraps his arms around his brother, who leans into him. “Oh, Dean.” They say nothing else for several moments. “You’ve gotta fix this.”

“I know. But I don’t know how.” 

“I know you don’t. But I may have an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So, I lied. I'm sorry. Remember I said I was done with the bangs? I'm not. I signed up for two [Destiel Reverse Bangs](http://destielrb.livejournal.com/), so it's gonna be another little bit for an update.


	22. The One Where Gabriel Is a Good Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel comforts Castiel the only way he knows how.

Gabriel is lost. One moment he’s enjoying a snuggle with his baby niece and boyfriend, and the next, his brother bawls onto his shoulder. There are snot and tears soaking his shirt. Yuck.

This is so not his forte.

He’s the funny one. He could probably put up a decent argument that he’s never felt a genuine emotion in his life. None of his friends come to him for advice or a sympathetic ear. They know better than that. He’s the one with a snappy comeback on his lips.

 _Comeback_. He has to bite his lip so he doesn’t laugh at the innuendo. _So not the time_ , he thinks. So not the right person for this.

Maybe he should call Charlie and Jo. They may know what to do. But if he calls them, that’s admitting he’s got no idea what to do in a real life situation like this. He needs to figure out something, though. This is his brother. He needs to say something. Anything.

He maneuvers Cas off him and drapes his arm around Cas’ shoulders pulling him closer. Cas rests his head on Gabriel, his body still wracked with sobs. This is worse than the whole “we were on a break” fiasco that lasted four years.

Four years of walking on eggshells around them. Four years of praying he wouldn’t say the wrong thing that would set one of them off, which meant they wouldn’t talk to each other all over again. He couldn’t let that happen.

Gabriel can’t go through that again. He’ll have to move, which would suck because he and Sam are still in the honeymoon stage of their relationship. They still make goo goo eyes at each other. They still hold hands when they go to a movie. They still like to fuck.

He literally shakes his head of that thought and puts his full attention back on his brother. He pets Cas’ hair attempting to soothe him. He’s not sure if it’s the petting or just the fact that Cas is simply cried out that the shaking begins to subside.

“You know that this is probably just one giant misunderstanding with that idiot, don’t you?” Gabriel asks. It’s not much, but it’s what he’s got to work with. “He jumped to conclusions and didn’t let you get a word in edgewise.”

Cas nods. At least it’s something.

“You’re not really going to break up. You know this. I know this. Hell, the entire apartment complex knows this.”

Cas pushes himself off Gabriel and looks at him. “What do you mean?”

Gabriel sighs. He can do this. He needs to do this. “Well, let’s start with Emma. She is the number one reason you and chucklehead up there,” he gestures to the ceiling, “aren’t breaking up.”

“Couples break up all the time,” Cas whines.

Gabriel rolls his eyes. “No. Couples get _divorced_ all the time. When was the last time mates broke their bond?” He hopes he’s not talking out of his ass. It sounds good anyway. Cas shrugs so he continues. “Number two, you idiots have come too far to fuck this up now, and I’m pretty sure I speak for Sam and Charlie and Jo when I say that there is no way we’re even letting you break up.”

“What?”

“Seriously, bro. If you think we’re going to be that goddamned miserable again, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Cas chuckles at least.

“You know as well as I do what a fucking nightmare that was the last time you two broke up. _We were on a break_!” Gabriel mocks. “Every single one of us would friendship break up with you if that happened again.”

“But what am I gonna do, Gabe?”

“ _You_ aren’t going to do anything. _Dean_ , however, is going to come grovelling back on his hands and knees to you. He fucked it up. He has to fix it. And he’s going to, if he knows what’s good for him.” And if he doesn’t, Gabe is going to make him.

“You sound so sure.” It’s clear by the tone of his voice that Castiel isn’t sure at all.

“If there’s one thing I have faith in, it’s Sam. He’ll knock some sense into his brother.”

Cas nods and sits back on the sofa. Gabriel watches as he wipes the remaining moisture from his eyes. Cas and Dean are _meant_ to be together, dammit. More than any couple he’s ever seen. It’s ridiculous how perfect they are for each other.

“Speaking of Sam….”

“Here it comes.” Gabriel flops back and stares at the ceiling. “This is supposed to be about you.”

“I know. Indulge me, would you?”

“Ugh. What do you want to know?”

“How are you and Sam doing? Are you okay?”

Gabriel rolls his head to look at his brother. “Yeah. Why?”

“No reason. Dean and I have been kind of wrapped up in ourselves lately and we haven’t talked, is all.”

“Well, you did just have a baby. Kind of understandable.”

“But I don’t want to get so wrapped up in Dean and Emma that I forget about you.” If Gabe didn’t know better, he’d think Cas was pregnant with all the mushy talk.

“Never happen. I’m not gonna let you. I’m just giving you your space to get adjusted to your new reality. I’ll be popping in at inopportune moments any day now.”

Cas laughs. “Good to know. I love you.”

“Oh, no you don’t.”

“What?”

“You only get to drop the _I love yous_ when one of us is dying. You know that.”

Cas holds up his hands in surrender. “God. You’re as bad as Dean.”

That makes Gabriel bolt upright, hand on his chest in mock indignation. “Well, I never!” He finishes with a _harumph_ and a turn of his head.

“No, but your mama does.”

“Did you just bring mamas into it?”

“I did,” Cas says smugly.

“You realize we have the same mother, dipshit.”

“Yeah. I see the flaw in my argument.”

“I’m still proud of you.”

His phone buzzes for a an incoming text message. He looks at it and smiles. “Sam says you’re not allowed back downstairs until he says so. You’re gonna be okay.”


	23. The One with the Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean proposes. Cas accepts.

“You’re sure this is going to work?” Dean asks.

The apartment is covered with candles. About sixteen bajillion of them by Dean’s count. Once Sam had convinced him of what he needed to do to fix his outburst, they’d run straight to the dollar store near their apartment. And the one by Bobby’s shop. And the sketchy one across town that was likely a front for drug runners.

It’d taken about an hour to get all the candles and another thirty minutes or so to set them up and get them lit. Dean tries not to think that there is going to be wax and soot on every surface in the place, but if it gets Cas back, he’ll do it. Hell, he’d stand naked outside Cas’ window with a boom box if that’s what it took.

“You ready?” Sam asks him.

“No,” he says automatically. He’s not sure if he really is. He’s about to propose to Castiel. _Fuck._

 Sam cocks an eyebrow at him. “Should we start blowing out the candles?”

 “No, no. It’s okay. I can do this.” He takes a calming breath, but it does nothing to sate the butterflies in his belly or the pounding in his chest. He takes two more with similar effect.  

 "Yeah, you can.” Sam’s encouragement is nothing new, but Dean is grateful for it nonetheless. He’d be lost without his moose of a brother, too.

 “Sam, I can’t lose him again.” His heart hurts just saying the words out loud. “I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t listen to me.” He means it, too. If Cas doesn’t listen, or if he does and decides that Dean isn’t worth it anymore, Dean will probably collapse in on himself.

 “Hey, hey,” Sam says as he grabs Dean in a bear hug. “He’ll listen. You hurt him, but he’ll listen.”

 Dean snorts. “Like I listened to him when he said we were on a break?” If he could ever take back a single moment in his life, it was the moment he found out Cas had slept with Inias, and the reaction he had to it.

 “Well, if he doesn’t, then we’ll figure it out. It’ll be you, me, and Emma against the world.” He releases Dean and hold him at arm’s length. “Seriously, Dean. We’ll get through it. I promise.” He pulls Dean in for another hug.

 "I hope you’re right, Sammy.”

They break apart and Sam pulls out his phone to text Gabe that it’s okay for Cas to come up. Dean practically vibrates with nerves as he hears the soft _whoosh_ of Sam’s sent notification.

The response comes back within a minute and Dean watches as Sam smiles at his phone. “What? What’d he say?”

“He’s coming up.” Sam claps him on the shoulder. “And I’m going. You got this, Dean. You can do it.”

The second he’s out the door, Dean gets into position. In addition to the candles, they’d thrown a bunch of pillows on the floor. They’d started with the sofa cushions and tossed a few throw pillows around them. It makes kind of a nest and Dean toes of his shoes and stands at the far end of the nest.

It feels like an eternity since Sam walked out the door, but as he checks his watch, he sees it’s only been a couple of minutes. He tells himself it’s because Cas is just as nervous as he is, that he hurt Cas and he needs to psych himself up, too.

Which is the wrong thought to contemplate because now his brain is in overdrive:

_What if he’s not coming?_

_What if I hurt him too badly?_

_What if he decides I’m not worth it?_

A tear slips down his cheek just as the door opens.

Cas looks around the room, slack-jawed, taking everything in. Dean isn’t sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.

“Oh, my God,” Cas says softly. His eyes lock with Dean’s. “Dean?”

“Surprise?” Dean says. A few more tears fall, but with relief and happiness rather than sadness. He sinks down to one knee, resting it on the edge of the pillow nest. “Castiel, In all my life… I never thought I would be so lucky as to fall in love with…” his tears flow freely and he chokes out a sob. “There’s a reason why I don’t do chick flick moments!”

Castiel cries and laughs at him and rushes to join him at the nest. “Oh, Dean.”

“No, let me finish.” Cas nods. “You... _you_. I am so in love with you it physically hurts me, and not just when we fuck, although that’s a brilliant kind of hurt.”

Cas snorts a laugh. So does Dean, but he quickly composes himself.

“I am so, so sorry for ever letting you think that I don’t love you, even for a millisecond. It’s taken us forever to get our shit together, and I’m forever grateful that you put up with me, that you love me, and that you have given me the best gift ever in Emma. So, I guess what I’m asking you is, Castiel Novak, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Cas flings himself at Dean and their lips crash together until Cas practically shoves Dean away.

“Cas?”

Cas digs into his pocket for a moment, pulling out a small box. Dean stares at it as Cas pops it open to reveal a silver band with a bluish inlay that reminds him of Castiel’s eyes. He watches Cas’ fingers work the band out of the slot and hold it in front of him.

“Will you do me the honor of wearing my ring, Dean Winchester?”

“Fuck yes, you dork!” He holds out his hand and Castiel slides it on his finger easily. “It’s beautiful.”

“There’s an inscription in it, too.” Dean starts to take the ring off but Cas stops him. “Later. But I promise you’ll like it.” There’s a twinkle in his eye.

They kiss again only to be startled by a pounding on their door.

“Can we come in?” Gabriel’s voice calls. “I’m dying out here!”

Dean and Cas laugh at the absurdity of the situation. “Come in!” Dean shouts.

Gabriel flings the door open. “Well? Spill!”

“We’re engaged,” Cas says.

Gabriel lets loose with the most undignified yelp Dean has ever heard in his life. The next thing he knows, he’s got his future brother-in-law clinging to him, dragging him down to the pillows.

Sam is a little more dignified since he’s carrying Emma on his arm. “Congratulations, Cas,” he says giving him a side hug.

“Thank you.”

“Get off of me!” Dean shouts and Gabriel scrambles to obey, taking refuge behind Sam.

“She okay?” Dean asks looking at his daughter.

“Perfect,” Sam says. “If you want us to keep her for the night we will. Give you some _celebration_ time.”

Cas blushes a bit but holds out his hands for the baby. “That’s very kind of you, but I’m not ready to be away from her overnight yet.” Sam lays her in Cas’ arms. “Guess what, Emmy? Daddy and I are getting married. What do you think?”

Emma lets out a loud, wet fart in response. They all wince.

“And I’m out,” Gabriel says. “Come on Sammy. Since we got our night back, let’s go have some fun of our own.” He grabs Sam’s wrist on his way to the door.

“Congratulations,” Sam says following behind him.

As the door shuts, Dean turns to his mate and daughter. He knows he has more grovelling to do. “Cas, I’m so sorry I didn’t listen or give you the chance to finish.”

“Honey, I forgive you.” His smile is warm as he looks up from Emma’s swaddled form. “I have to take at least some of the blame -”

“What? No, Cas -”

“Dean, just shush. I started with ‘we need to talk’ instead of ‘I love you’ and I shouldn’t have.” He sidles up next to Dean wedging Emma between them and leans in for a kiss.

“Now,” he continues. “Let’s get this peanut ready for bed and then you and I can make it up to each other. Okay?”

Dean takes a good look at his mate. His eyes are still a little red from crying and they’re puffy still. He did that to Castiel. It was his stubborn stupidity that made him look like that. _Never again,_ he thinks as he blows out the first of many candles.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I told you I'd fix it. :)
> 
> And a shout out to [PowerfulWeak](http://www.powerfulweak.tumblr.com) for the beta on this and the previous chapter.


	24. The One with the Sabriel Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when Sam and Gabe go back to their apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much love to [Powerfulweak](https://www.powerfulweak.tumblr.com/html/) for the beta.

“Well, that happened,” Gabriel said flopping down on the sofa. 

“Yeah, it did,” Sam agreed. “Finally.” 

The two of them chuckled and Gabriel took Sam’s hand. “About goddamned time, too.”

“No kidding.”

They sat in silence for several moments, Sam wondering why the air between them was suddenly awkward. It shouldn’t be. It hadn’t been since the first few weeks they began dating.  _ Why now? _

Sam’s mind wanders back to just before the shit hit the fan a few hours ago when he realized he loves Gabe. At least he thinks he does. He’s never been in love before. He assumes this is what it feels like, but he doesn’t know for sure. All he knows is that his heart speeds up every time he thinks about Gabriel. He finds himself smiling whenever he thinks about him. 

He feels Gabriel’s thumb stroking the back of his hand and he smiles again. He can’t help it. It’s like his mouth has been conditioned to smile whenever he thinks about Gabe, Whenever he’s around, whenever he’s not around, when he does something stupid, when he trips over the pants he left in the hallway curing himself as he stumbles. 

_ Should I say something?  _ If he does, will it get weirder between them? If he doesn’t, it’s like Sam has a secret and that thought makes him blush a little. Should he plan some grand romantic gesture to tell him or just spring it on him when he least expects it? So many things to consider.

But then Gabriel says, “Penny for your thoughts.” 

Sam looks up at him, studies his face. His honey eyes, the hair that’s just this side of too long. The lips that beg to be kissed and look that much more delectable when they have been. 

“You okay, Sammy?” 

“Hmmm?” He refocuses his eyes. He must have been staring too long or too intently for Gabriel to ask that. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“You sure? ‘Cause you looked like I was a math problem you were trying to figure out.” 

Maybe he should just do it. Just tell him. It’s been a night for revelations apparently. “Gabe -” 

“So help me, if you say ‘we need to talk’ I’m not fucking you for a week.”

Sam barks out a laugh. Considering what those words just did to their brothers, there’s no way in hell he would have uttered them. “No. Well, we probably should, but not in a bad way.”

“See? How easy is it to just  _ say  _ that?” 

“We have dumbasses for brothers, yes.” He looks at their joined hands wondering just how to say it. 

This is big, after all. He’s never said those words to anyone but family. His scent belies a bit of nervousness.

“You sure you’re okay?” And Gabriel tilts his head and scents the air like an inquisitive corgi puppy which just makes Sam melt even more. 

Sam nods. “It’s just….Look, Gabe. Before this night went off the rails and it was you, me, and Emma here? I got to thinking.”

“Oh, god.” It’s clear from his tone that Gabe says it with more humor than actual dread. 

“Shut up.”  _ God, this is difficult. Just  _ say  _ it.  _ “Well, I thought I really liked that. The three of us.”

“You want to babysit Emma more? We could do that. She’s a good baby.”

“No. Well, yes, but….what I meant was you and me. Together. With a baby.”

“I just said we could babysit her.”

Sam sighs. This really is more difficult than it ought to be. “You. Me.  _ Our  _ baby.” He watches as the lightbulb clicks on over Gabe’s head. 

“Oh. OH! Our baby as in  _ our _ baby.” He gestures between the two of them. “Really?”

“Yes. I don’t mean right now, but eventually. Yeah. Gabe, when I think of the future, I see you in it with me. I love you.” And there it is. Out in the open.  _ Fuck.  _

“Huh. I just never. Huh.” Gabe drops of Sam’s hand, stands and begins pacing. “Really?” he asks, stopping at one end of his path. 

“Really,” Sam says quietly. He figured Gabe would take some time to process the information. He just hopes that it doesn’t scare him off, and considering Gabe’s history of one night stands, Sam thinks fight or flight is a real possibility. He can’t detect any real change in Gabe’s scent, so he’s hopeful for the moment. 

“Huh.” He resumes pacing. Sam counts three laps before he stops again. “With me?”

“With you.”

“Huh.” 

“I know, right?”

Two more laps. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure. I love you, Gabe. You don’t have to say it back. I don’t expect you to. It’s just when we were here before, you snuggled with Emma and we were just sitting, doing nothing else but admiring her? It just sort of snuck up on me. I mean, I shouldn’t have been surprised. It’d been awhile com -”

Gabe cuts off Sam by straddling his lap and kissing him. Hard. And that’s when Sam gets a whiff of Gabe’s scent. It’s still  _ Gabe,  _ but there’s a hint of something new. More cinnamony, maybe. More like home. Maybe this is how scents change for mates. 

Gabe pushes back off his lips. “You beautiful, amazing,  _ wonderful _ dork. I love you, too.” 

“Yeah?”

“Hells yeah.”

Sam surges up to claim Gabe’s mouth, their teeth clacking together and they laugh into each other’s mouths.  It’s absurd and ridiculous and perfect. They kiss for what feels like forever in Sam’s mind, barely breaking apart for a breath, their cocks rubbing against each other as Gabriel grinds down onto Sam’s lap. 

The living room quickly becomes filled with the mingled scents of their arousal and Sam is about to suggest they move to one of the bedrooms when Gabriel says the second best thing Sam has heard that night:

“I want you to fuck me.” Gabe’s voice is breathy and full of need and Sam has to ask if he heard him correctly. “Yes. Fuck me, Sam.”

Sam pulls back, confused. “But...you’re an alpha. Alphas don’t get fucked.”

Gabriel barks out a laugh. “Oh, baby, you’ve got so much to learn.” 

And with that, Gabriel disentangles himself from Sam’s lap and limbs. He stands and holds his hand out, which Sam accepts, allowing himself to be led to his own bedroom. He assumes it’s because he has a bigger bed. 

Once inside, Gabriel slinks up the mattress, Sam following his cat-like movements intently. He then lays on his side, head propped in one hand while he swirls circles on the comforter in front of him. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

He gapes like a fish once or twice, no words coming forth. Gabriel pats the bed and Sam moves quickly, joining him, mirroring his position. 

“Well, I’d hoped for something a little closer,” Gabriel grouses as he gives Sam’s shirt a tug. 

Sam is so horny he can hardly see straight. He can feel the slick seeping out of his hole, drenching his underwear.  _ How is this going to work?  _  “I don’t -”

This time the tug on his shirt is more of a yank, forcing Sam closer. Gabriel coaxes him to lay on top of him as he wraps his legs around his hips. “Nothing to worry about, I promise,” he says kissing Sam on the nose. “You’re going to do to me exactly what I do to you. Only you’re going to need synthetic slick since I don’t produce it naturally.”

He feels his dick twitch at that, and Sam thinks he can do what Gabe asks. Not that he’s not nervous as hell. He kisses Gabriel in an attempt to calm himself because fucking Gabe? That thought alone is enough to make him come in his pants. 

He takes liberty with Gabe’s mouth and kisses him again. Not quite as forcefully as before, but firm enough. He settles onto Gabe’s form but not completely so as not to squash the smaller man. 

But Gabe seems to enjoy it. He moans around Sam’s kisses, his fingers dig into his shoulders, and his hips rock up to meet his own. They continue for a few minutes until Sam needs to break to stave off the orgasm he felt beginning to build.

Gabriel takes the opportunity to extricate himself from underneath Sam, quickly shuck off all his clothes, tossing them in a heap on the floor. He rolls over to open Sam’s nightstand, and grimaces. “No synthetic slick?”

“I haven’t needed it,” Sam shrugs as he rolls onto his back. 

“I’ve got some.” Gabe swings his legs off the bed and Sam follows his ass as he leaves the room. 

God. Gabe wants him, an omega, to fuck him. Like for real. He’s never even  _ heard _ of an alpha wanting to be fucked.  _ What the fuck?  _ he thinks, because this cannot be happening. 

“Oh, it’s happening, sweetheart,” Gabe says, startling Sam.

“Did I say that out loud?” he asks sheepishly.

“You did.” Gabe sets the bottle of slick down and sits on the edge of the bed. “If you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.”

Sam stares up at the ceiling avoiding Gabe’s gaze. “No, it’s not that.”

“Then what?” He places a comforting hand on Sam’s arm.

“You’re sure?”

“Of what? That the world is spinning or that I love you or that I really  _ want  _ you to fuck me?” Gabe takes the opportunity to crawl up beside Sam and wrap himself around Sam’s body. He snuggles into his side, throwing an arm and a leg over him. 

It’s a good feeling having Gabe wrapped around him like that and Sam rolls over so that they’re on their side, face to face, legs tangled together. “Yeah. All of that.”

“Would it make you feel better if I told you I’ve never done it before?”

That revelation surprises him. He thought for sure Gabe has done it all. And he does mean  _ all.  _ “You haven’t?”

“Nope. This is a first for me, too, and since there’s all kinds of firsts and declarations tonight, I thought we could do this. But I don’t want to pressure you.” 

“Oh, I want to. Believe me, I want to.”

“Then how about you get naked and we take it from there. If it happens it happens. No pressure on your end, but I hope to God there will be some on mine.” 

He grins widely at his innuendo and Sam has to laugh. “Okay,” he says. “Let’s see what happens.”

Gabe leans in to kiss him. “I love you, Sam Winchester.”

A quick peck, a returned sentiment, and Sam untangles himself, standing to make quick work of his clothing. He bounces back up on the bed, pulling Gabriel into him. The skin on skin contact makes him leak a little more slick. 

Their naked makeout session quickly morphs into a greedy tangle of sweaty limbs, and Sam thinks he can do what Gabe has asked of him, but first, he needs something for himself. He shoves Gabriel away harder than he meant to and he twists around and hangs off the edge of the bed. Reaching under the bed for what he wants, he sits back up. He doesn’t care that there’s going to be a wet spot the size of Iowa on the sheets. 

“What’s in the box?” Gabe asks. Sam mentally praises him for not making the obvious  _ Seven  _ joke. 

He takes off the lid to reveal several dildos and vibrators and plugs. “If I’m going to fuck you, I’m going to need something to fuck me because I don’t think I can do it without being filled.”

“Jesus, you’re perfect.” Gabe reaches into the box and pulls out a wide, veiny dildo. It’s blue and sparkly. He cocks an eyebrow at Sam who blushes.

“It was the only color they had.”

“Of course it was.”  His tone makes it clear that he doesn’t believe him. He puts the sparkly one back and finds a long, ribbed vibrating plug. It’s not as wide as the sparkly one, but it’s still got impressive girth. He turns it on, testing out the settings. “Ooh. This one will do quite nicely. Turn around, Sammy. Hands and knees.” 

Sam obeys. He can feel the slick trickling out of his hole. Gabriel does nothing for a solid thirty seconds and Sam wonders what he’s doing when he feels a slight nip at his ass cheek. His yelp of surprise is slightly less manly than he wished it were. 

Gabriel chuckles and then his tongue finds the end of the line of slick and licks it up, up, up, all the way back to Sam’s opening. His tongue darts in and flicks the rim. Sam groans loudly and drops his head. 

The next thing Sam feels is one of Gabe’s fingers pushing on his entrance. There’s enough slick that it slides in easily and Gabe pumps it in and out a few times. It takes no time at all to add a second finger, and Sam pushes back on his hand, needing more. 

“Just a second, Sammy. Gotta make sure you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.”

“So eager.” He slips his fingers out as Sam whimpers at the loss. Gabriel settles in and licks his hole as he touches the tip of the plug to his ass. The feel of the cool silicone and Gabriel’s warm tongue makes Sam wriggle back even more. 

Gabriel pulls back but keeps the plug at the ready. Sam’s just about to say something when he feels the head breech him and he sucks in a breath. He loves feeling full and he can hardly wait to have the toy fully seated inside. 

But Gabriel is taking his own sweet fucking time and it’s driving Sam crazy. He rocks back and forth just a touch and he’s rewarded with a slap to his flank. He stills immediately.

“Can’t have you coming too soon, baby,” Gabriel says. 

Sam knows he’s right. He’s on the brink and he needs to calm down. He grabs the base of his dick and squeezes, screwing his eyes shut as well.  _ Dead puppies. Naked grandmas.  _ Anything to hold himself back. 

He’d been so focused on not coming that he hadn’t realized that Gabriel now lays next to him, studying his face. “Hi,” he says.

“Hi.” They kiss again. “What now?” Sam asks.

“I’m glad you asked. Can you move without dislodging the plug?”

Sam shakes his ass a little as he sits up. He doesn’t think it’s going anywhere. “I think so.”

“Good. Now,” he says rolling to his back and lifting his knees up, exposing himself fully. “Get to rimming, baby.” 

“Only you, you dork.” 

“You love me.”

“Yes, I do.” 

Gabe starts to say something, but he shuts up with a groan when Sam goes to work on him. This isn’t anything new. Sam’s rimmed him before, even teased at his hole a little with his tongue, but the anticipation for more is new. 

As Gabriel talks him through how to go about prepping him, Sam is both embarrassed and ridiculously turned on. So much so that he wishes they made cock rings for omegas because he’s really in danger of coming. He pulls away and sits back on his knees.

“You okay, Sammy?”

“Yeah. I’m gonna come if I don’t relax a bit.” 

“ _ Relax, don’t do it when you wanna go to it… _ ” 

Because of  _ course  _ Gabriel would jump right to the singing in the middle of the sex. Sam giggles. Then Gabe giggles. And Sam giggles some more until he’s caught in a full-blown laugh, complete with quivering lip and tears. He can’t help himself. It’s just so absurd. 

“Better now?” Gabriel asks. Sam nods. “Great. I’m ready for your cock any time you are.” 

That sobers him up a bit. “You’re sure? I’ve used enough slick on you?”

“Sam, there’s a goddamned  _ lake _ of slick in my ass right now. Come on up here.” 

Sam obliges and crawls up Gabriel’s body, nipping and licking his way to his mouth. Their height difference makes it almost impossible for them to line up their cocks and kiss at the same time. Gabe’s cock ends up somewhere around Sam’s belly button while Sam’s is on Gabe’s thigh. 

Their kissing doesn’t last long, though. Gabriel shoves Sam off his lips, startling him and making him rear up to his hands and knees. It’s just enough for Gabriel to flip over onto his belly. “This’ll be easier,” he says by way of explanation as he sticks his ass up a bit, a clear invitation to Sam. 

Sam trails his fingers down Gabe’s back and down to his butt. His skin softer than Sam remembers. He lays his hand on Gabe’s thigh and gets to his knees so he can grip his cock to guide it into Gabe. 

“Oh! One more thing.”  Gabriel flips back over and scoots down the bed between Sam’s thighs. 

He has no idea what’s happening, but the next thing Sam knows, Gabriel sucks down his cock. He automatically tugs on Gabe’s hair, loving the sensation. He’s lost enough that he jerks when the vibrator inside him suddenly comes to life. 

Patting his thigh and giving the head of his dick a kiss, Gabriel wriggles back up the bed, flips over and presents himself as if nothing happened. He looks back over his shoulder and says, “You okay?”

Sam growls at him. The sensation of the vibrator is just enough to be annoying. It’s obviously on the first setting, meant to tease him, not get him off. If that’s the way Gabriel wants to play, then that’s how it’s gonna be. 

He grasps his cock and guides it to Gabriel’s hole, pushing in slowly but firmly. 

As an omega, Sam’s dick isn’t as large as an alpha’s, but considering how tall he is, he’s probably closer to the size of a small beta. He’s still worried that he’ll hurt him until he hears the noises Gabriel makes.

Gabriel’s moan is sinful and he pants Sam’s name. “Yeah, Sam. Like that. Fuck me, omega.”

A couple of shallow thrusts to get a feel for the motion are all it takes. Gabriel whimpers beneath him as Sam fucks him hard and fast, barely letting him get a breath at all. They’re soon covered in sweat, grunts and groans filling the room. 

When Gabriel sinks down to his elbows and plants his face in the mattress, Sam pauses momentarily, grabs him by the hair and yanks his head up. He leans forward, draping his body over Gabe’s and he rasps “You wanted to be fucked, alpha. Now come back up and take your fucking like a proper alpha.”

Gabriel doesn’t comply immediately and Sam smacks his flank sharply causing him to gasp. “I’m sorry, omega. I’ll be good.”

_ Did we just move into dom/sub territory?  _ Sam thinks. Because if they did, holy shit is that hot. “Good.” Sam pushes back off him and concentrates on the feel of his cock sliding in and out of his body. “God, you feel good.”

He slows his pace considerably. The feel of the vibrator inside him humming and buzzing nicely. He’s somewhat surprised it hasn’t fallen out considering the amount of slick he’s producing.He shifts his leg, bending it at the knee in order to get deeper, but the vibrator hits his prostate just  _ so _ and he shouts at the sensation. He’s not quick enough to but his knee back down on the bed before it hits his prostate once more.

Gabriel laughs at his predicament and is rewarded with Sam’s hand around the base of his throat. He gently coaxes Gabriel up to his knees. Gabriel covers the hand at his throat with one of his, and as Sam’s the other one going to his dick, stroking languidly, Gabriel does the same

“P-please, Sam.” Gabriel’s voice is hoarse. 

“Please, what?”

“Please, omega. Let me come.” 

“No.”

The sound Gabriel makes is delicious. He’s never heard him make that noise before and he hopes he can get him to make it again. He buries his nose in Gabriel’s hair, scenting him. “Smell so good. Like you were made for me.” 

“Was. Was made for you.”

Sam picks up the pace again, their bodies slapping together, sweaty skin against sweaty skin, the scent of their arousal filling the room. He nips at the shell of Gabriel’s ear as he feels Gabriel’s knot begin to swell. 

“Love you, alpha.” 

And with that, it’s all over. As Gabriel comes, Sam feels his body clench around his dick, milking it as Gabriel empties himself on the comforter. It’s enough to send Sam over the edge, too.

As Gabriel’s body tenses and then slumps from the release, Sam hold him and eases them down to the mattress. 

“Wet spot,” Gabriel slurs. 

“Vibrator.”

Sam pulls out and eases himself off the bed. Gabriel does the same and directs Sam to turn around so he can remove the vibrating plug. When it’s out, Sam gathers up the comforter and dumps it on the floor, the vibrator landing on top of it. 

They flop back down on the sheets, messy, sweaty, thoroughly spent. 

“We are  _ so  _ doing that again,” Gabriel says, rolling over and planting a kiss on Sam’s forehead.  


	25. The One with the Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo has a mini crisis. Charlie, as always, loves her regardless.

Jo  and Charlie snuggle in their bed like an old married couple. Each woman occupies her half of the bed with a book. They both wear PJs and reading glasses, Jo’s hair in a ponytail, Charlie’s hair in a loose bun. 

“What do you suppose the boys are up to tonight?” Jo asks. She’s somewhat bored with her book and she’s about ready to abandon it before she gets angry at it and hate reads it until the end.

Charlie doesn’t look up from her book. “Which ones?” 

“Either. It’s been weeks since we’ve seen them.” Jo misses them. They haven’t had a steady game night schedule since Emma was born and Jo’s worried that they’ll never have it back to what it was.

“Knowing them, probably fucking.”

“Ew! Gross.”

“Well, you asked.” 

Jo doesn’t want to think of any of the boys fucking each other. Sam and Dean are practically her brothers for crying out loud. She shudders at the thought of either of them having sex.

She picks up the book again and tries to read it. After reading the same paragraph three times, she closes it and tosses it on the nightstand with her glasses. She fiddles with her fingers, touching the pads of each digit to its opposite. She sighs with boredom. When she starts singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” in her head and following along with her hands, Charlie closes her own book. 

“What’s wrong?” Her tone holds a note of exasperation. 

“Nothing,” Jo says dropping her hands to her lap. When Charlie doesn’t say anything else, Jo continues. “It’s just that -”

“I knew it was something.” Charlie chuckles. She takes off her glasses and sets them on top of her book. “What’s up, hun?” She opens her arms and Jo snuggles into her.

“I guess I just miss the guys, you know?” It’s easier to talk to Charlie when she can’t actually see her face. 

Charlie scratches Jo’s head, following the natural lines of the ponytail. “Yeah. I do,” she says.

But Jo’s not sure Charlie does know. “No, like I really miss them. We’ve never gone this long without seeing them.”

“Well, they did just have a baby, you know.” 

Jo sighs and fiddles with the comforter covering them. “Yeah. But, it’s not the same. Emma is two months old now. I thought we’d go back to the way we were. Mostly. I know it’s not going to be how it was, but I thought for sure we’d still have our weekly game night.”

As a tear slips down her cheek, she curses herself for the reaction. It’s irrational. She knows it’s irrational. She’d prepared herself for months for this, reminding herself that it was bound to change. There’s no way it  _ couldn’t  _ change, so why is she still so sad? It’s not like she’s lost anything. Not really.

Her sniffle must give her away because Charlie sits up, effectively bucking Jo away from her, and looks at her. “Hey, hey,” she says. “It’s okay. What’s with the tears?”

And with that question, Jo practically vomits out everything she’s feeling: the loss of their group, the loss of the boys at all, jealousy of their relationships, anger that she and Charlie are apparently far down on their list of priorities, anger at  _ Emma _ , for fuck’s sake that she’s even  _ here,  _ which she knows is completely ridiculous, frustration with her job, irritation with Corn Pops for dropping the ‘Sugar’ from their name even though it happened before she was even  _ born, _ and how she can never find a cute pair of shoes to fit her wide goddamned feet.

Charlie blinks at her.

“Well, you asked,” Jo says. 

And suddenly Charlie busts out laughing. Not her cute little bubbly laugh, but a full-on,  _ laugh,  _ complete with tears and hiccups for breath that lasts a good three minutes, making Jo wonder what she sees in her girlfriend sometimes.

“Oh, honey,” Charlie says as her laughing dies down. “You have no idea how much I love you.”

“Really.” She squints at her. “That didn’t sound sympathetic or understanding or helpful to me.”

“It wasn’t. I’m sorry.” She takes Jo’s face in her hands. “I’m sorry for laughing like that.”

“You mean at me,” Jo huffs. 

“Oh, baby, not at all.” She kisses Jo and then takes her hands. “That whole thing was just so typically  _ you,  _ it makes me so happy.” Jo says nothing. “I get it honey. I do. I miss the guys, too. More than I’m saying out loud.”

“So, what? You get to be the strong one?” Jo pouts.

“In this case? Yes.” 

“It’s not fair.”

“I didn’t say it was. Hey, maybe we should see if Sam and Gabe want to get together for a game night. Just the four of us.”

Jo frowns. “Without Dean and Cas? That’d be weird. We’ve never gotten together with them before.”

“Well, maybe it’s time. It’s not like we have a whole lot of other friends we hang out with.”

Jo thinks for a moment. That can’t be right. Can it? Who else do they see? Shit. She can’t remember the last time they got together with anyone other than the boys. It’s probably been six months since she’s seen anyone outside of the baby shower. 

“Well, fuck.” Jo can’t believe it. They really did get so comfortable with their group that they’ve neglected their other friends. Does keeping in touch in Facebook count? 

Charlie pulls her close again and kisses the top of her head. “Yeah. Fuck. It’s only natural that you feel that way.” She squeezes Jo and adds, “I’m not sure your anger at Corn Pops is rational, though.”

“Shut up,” Jo says playfully as she bats Charlie’s arm. She feels somewhat better at least. Her feelings aren’t quite so bizarre. 

“Should I text Sam?” Charlie asks. “See what they’re up to tomorrow?”

Jo shrugs. “Maybe?” she says. “They’ve always felt like the buffer friends. Will it be weird?”

“Buffer friends?”

“Yeah. Like, we’ve never been with just Sam or just Gabe. Dean and Cas, one of them, is always with us. You know?”

Charlie chuckles. “I love your brain. You’re insane, you know that, right?”

“Takes one to know one,” Jo says. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She reaches for her phone. “I’ll text Sam, you text Gabriel. Okay?”

Jo nods and grabs her phone, too. “Okay. Maybe it won’t be too weird. Games or lunch?”

“Games,” Charlie says definitively. “It’s known territory.”

“Games it is.” She texts  _ You and Sammy wanna have a game afternoon tomorrow?  _ while Charlie taps out her own message to Sam. 

With no immediate reply, Jo puts her phone back on the nightstand. Charlie does the same. Each has their hands in their lap and sighs heavily. Charlie apparently has an idea as she turns to Jo, an evil look in her eyes. 

“What’ll we do to pass the time?” Charlie asks. “I mean, who knows how long it’ll take them to respond.”

Jo knows exactly how Charlie wants to pass the time. “I don’t know. It’s been awhile since we cleaned the fridge,” she says, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Wanna go see what sort of science experiments we have back there?”

Charlie jumps up out of the bed to the door. “Yes! That’s so much better than sex!” 

“Jerk,” Jo says throwing a pillow at her girlfriend who dodges it easily. 

“Bitch,” Charlie says hopping back into the bed. “I love you, Harvelle.” 

“I love you, to, Bradbury.” 

Jo makes quick work of her pj’s, as Charlie does the same. Their clothes land in a heap by the door, Charlie simply dropping hers while Jo tries to hit Charlie with the wadded up fabric. They both laugh as they pull the hair bands from their hair.

Jo scoots down on the bed so she lays flat. She bends her knees and plants her feet on the bed. Her arms reach for Charlie as she says, “Come to mama.”

“How many times to I have to ask you not to say that,” Charlie whines, kneeling on the edge of the bed. She rakes her eyes over Jo in a way that makes her shiver. “God, you’re beautiful.” 

She bends down to kiss the inside of one of Jo’s ankles. It’s a sensation that Jo is sure she’ll never adjust to. There’s something about the brush of Charlie’s lips on the joint that Jo loves. Other lovers she’s had kissed the same spot, but none of them elicited the response that Charlie pulls from her. 

“So are you,” Jo says, goosebumps prickling her legs. She props herself up on her elbows to look at Charlie. “Thank you.”

Charlie stops peppering Jo’s skin with kisses. “You’re welcome. What are you thanking me for?”

“For telling me I’m normal.”

“Oh, sweetheart. You are  _ far  _ from normal.” She turns her attention to Jo’s other leg, far enough out of her reach that Jo huffs in frustration.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do. Now are you done talking so I can do this properly, or do I get another lecture on why you’re a horrible human being?”

“Shutting up.” Jo motions locking up her lips and throwing away the key. 

“Good.”

Charlie starts kissing again and Jo watches her girlfriend work her way up her legs. It’s taking, in Jo’s mind, a ridiculous amount of time, but Charlie switches limbs ever few kisses, making the climb that much longer. That much more drawn out. 

As much as Jo wants Charlie at her pussy, she relishes the slow and steady pace of Charlie’s actions, so while Charlie kisses her, Jo tweaks a nipple causing her pussy to throb and her mouth to let out a gasp. 

She can feel Charlie laugh through her kisses. Her lips feel harder on her skin, less plump, and she knows Charlie enjoys the sound she just made. 

“How long has it been?” Jo asks suddenly.

“I thought we weren’t talking anymore.”

“When’s the last time we had sex?” She’s not sure why the question popped into her head just then, but she needs it answered.

“Couple of days ago?” Charlie asks between kisses. “Why?”

“It just seems like it’s been longer.” She feels the melancholy seeping in again. 

_ Shit.  _

Charlie stops all kisses and sits back on her heels. “You okay?” She crawls up Jo’s body and covers it with her own, brushing a stray hair off her forehead. 

Jo wraps herself around Charlie and thinks a minute before answering. Is she really okay? Is there anything deeper other than the feeling of being left out of the boys’ lives? She doesn’t think so. “It’s just my own insecurity,” she relents.

“Jo, are you -”

“Pregnant?” 

Charlie smacks her playfully at the joke since as Betas, neither can get pregnant without an Alpha. “I was going to say crazy, but I apparently already know the answer to that.” She plants another kiss on Jo’s lips. “You’re it for me, Harvelle. I’m so in love with you, it’s not funny.” One more long kiss. “Do you want to have kids? Because, I’m not opposed to that.”

Jo freezes. She’d never thought about it before. She’d always assumed that kids weren’t in her future considering she’s only attracted to Beta girls. But could they? Could they adopt or find a donor? Is she even mother material? Being responsible for a tiny human that she can’t give back to its parents makes her uneasy.

“Earth to Jo,” Charlie says as Jo snaps out of her thoughts. “I thought I lost you there for a sec.”

“You did.” Jo physically shakes the lingering idea out of her head. “But I’m back. Please continue.” She gestures toward her crotch. 

“With pleasure.” 

They kiss again, more passionately this time. Charlie’s tongue slips into Jo’s mouth as she snakes a hand around the back of her head. She moans into her mouth. 

Jo tightens her legs around Charlie and pushes her hips up in an effort to get some friction on her clit, but as soon as she does, Charlie stops kissing. “Uh uh,” she chastises. “I’m in control.” 

She pushes herself up and off of Jo’s body, grasping one of her wrists and holding it over her head. She reaches for the other one, repeating the action. She kisses Jo again, then works her way down to her chin, her jaw, her neck. Jo raises her chin to allow Charlie full access to her throat, which she takes full advantage of, sucking and licking the sensitive skin. 

“Mark me.” 

Charlie plants her mouth on the juncture of Jo’s neck and shoulder and sucks. Jo should probably be embarrassed at the noises she makes, but Charlie’s mouth is heaven. She tries to draw Charlie closer using her legs, but Charlie doesn’t budge. 

As Charlie pulls away, she pauses to look at Jo’s neck and she huffs in what Jo assumes is appreciation for her own handiwork. She’s pretty sure that the bruise she’ll be sporting in a few hours will be spectacular. 

Charlie kisses down her sternum, between her breasts, finally getting too low to hold on to Jo’s wrists, so she lets them go. Jo’s hands stay put as Charlie brushes her fingers down her arms. She only jumps a little as they graze her armpits. 

Jo unwraps her legs from around Charlie and plants her feet on the bed again. She places one hand on Charlie’s head, the other combs through the long strands on her own head. Her hand dips down the back of Charlie’s head and grabs a handful of red hair, giving it a firm tug. Turnabout is fair play after all. 

A small breath escapes Charlie and she kisses across Jo’s breasts, taking care to pay attention to her sensitive nipples. As she nibbles on one, Jo pulls her hair again. 

Her cunt throbs by now and Jo needs it to be touched. She tugs on Charlie’s hair once more, and this time she does what Jo wants and kisses down the smooth skin of her belly on her way to Jo’s cunt, stopping to dip her tongue into her belly button making Jo squirm.

Charlie nuzzles the hair on Jo’s mound and takes a whiff of her sex. “I love how you smell.” she flicks her tongue over Jo's clit. “I love how you taste even more.”

And with that, Charlie wraps her lips around Jo’s clit and suckles the sensitive nub. As Jo’s fingers tighten their grip on her hair,  Charlie probes her slit, the natural lubrication making her finger slide easily into her. 

“Jesus,” Jo says bucking of the bed, the feel of Charlie's mouth on her clit wracking through her body. 

Charlie removes her mouth and smiles up at her. “You okay, baby?” she asks. 

“Uh huh.” It's all Jo can manage to get out. She tries to say  _ more _ but all that comes out is a stuttering  _ m  _ sound. 

“You want more?” she adds a second finger, and continues fucking her. She trails her tongue between the inner and outer labia, teasing Jo to just this side of getting off. 

“Please,” Jo croaks out. Charlie teases her mercilessly and she’s ready to kill her girlfriend. The licking and finger fucking make her crazy. 

Just as Jo starts to ride the wave to her orgasm, Charlie stops licking. She pulls her fingers from Jo’s pussy and makes a show of licking them. “You’re killing me,” Jo says. “Get back there.”

Charlie’s grin is pure evil. She stands and heads to their toy drawer. “Patience, grasshopper,” she says. 

And Jo knows exactly which toy Charlie is going for. She reaches down to play with her clit while she watches Charlie pull her favorite toy from the bottom drawer: a purple strapless dildo with a small vibrator in the middle, which she dangles in front of Jo.

“Yes, please and thank you,” Jo says. 

Charlie snags the bottle of lube, closes the drawer with her foot and kneels back on the bed. “You want to do this?” she asks. 

“God, no. You’re comforting me, remember?” Jo pouts her best pout.

Charlie nods and flicks open the bottle of lube, pouring some on the small end of the dildo. Working quickly, she slicks it up and guides it to her body. Once it’s in place, Charlie wiggles her hips to make sure it’s where she wants it. Deciding it is, she reaches between her legs and turns on the vibrator. It’s not powerful; it just gives a hint of vibration. 

Adding more lube to the shaft, Charlie wraps her hand around the silicone dick to spread the lube around. Once she’s satisfied it’s coated, Charlie shuffles forward between Jo’s legs. 

Jo picks her feet up and holds the backs of her knees, offering herself up to Charlie, who rubs the tip of the dildo along Jo’s opening as if asking permission. Jo nods and Charlie slides into her easily. 

She thrusts shallowly at first, testing the waters, ensuring Jo isn’t in any discomfort. Jo lets go of her thighs and wraps her legs around Charlie while pulling her down for another heated kiss. Her heels press into Charlie’s ass, silently coaxing her on. 

Charlie picks up the pace a little but, but Jo wants more. She quickly rolls them over, positions reversed. Jo sits up, angling her hips so the dildo hits all the right spots, rolling her hips just how she wants. As she rides the lightly buzzing cock, she pinches one nipple while she chews on the nail of her index finger and looks down at Charlie seductively. 

Jo knows exactly what that pose does to her and isn’t disappointed when Charlie smacks her flank. She squeaks a little but her pace doesn’t falter as she rides Charlie hard and fast. She leans back and places her hands on Charlie’s thighs, gunning for that deep spot she likes while the force of her thrusts push Charlie’s end deeper into her. 

Charlie licks her thumb and places it squarely on Jo’s clit, pressing the nub for a moment and then backing off and circling it. Charlie knows exactly what she’s doing and Jo is both happy her girlfriend knows all her buttons, and pissed that her orgasm is going to hit her any second. 

She can feel it building, that little flutter low in her belly. “God, yes. I’m close.” Charlie says nothing in response, simply places her thumb back onto Jo’s clit with just enough pressure to send Jo over the edge. 

As the first wave of her orgasm hits, Jo fucks down harder. As she begins to coast down from the high, she collapses down onto Charlie, hoping her orgasm trails quickly behind. A few soft  _ uh uh uh’ _ s and Jo has to extricate herself from the dildo, sensitivity overtaking the ecstasy.

“Mmmmm,” she purrs as she snuggles in beside Charlie. “Can I do you?” 

Charlie laughs. “Oh, hun. You’re already halfway to dreamland. I can finish myself.” She grasps the dildo and fucks herself, using the shaft like a handle, unconcerned with the fact that it had just been inside Jo. 

Jo knows she’s right. She’s thisclose to falling asleep. She hates she gets that way after a single orgasm. But she’s not a jerk, so she touches Charlie’s breast, her fingers kneading it gently, but picking up the pace as Charlie works the dildo faster. 

Before she knows it, Charlie comes with a shudder, her back arching off the bed as her toes curl into the sheets. “Whew,” she says as the feeling subsides and she removes the toy, turns it off, and unceremoniously drops it on the floor. Jo is about to protest, but Charlie says “I’ll clean it in the morning.” 

“Love you,” Jo says snuggling into Charlie’s side. 

Charlie wraps her legs around Jo’s and tosses her arm over Jo’s waist. “Love you more.”

It’s not even five minutes before they’ve both drifted off to sleep. 


	26. The One at the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything returns to normal. Life goes on. PIVOT!

Dean pants heavily, struggling to keep upright in the odd position while Cas pushes him from behind. “God, Cas,” he says. 

“Just a little more,” Cas replies with a grunt. He can feel the sweat pouring down his spine.

“You need to pivot,” Gabe says, forever unhelpful. At least he’s keeping Emma occupied as she grabs a fistful of his hair and laughs.

“Fuck your pivot!” Sam snaps at him. He’s got one end of a huge sofa, trying to maneuver it around the corner of the stairwell. 

“Language!” Gabriel looks scandalized from atop the landing, covering one of Emma’s ears.

“I think he’s right,” Cas says. He steps away from Dean and the sofa and Dean falters a bit, but catches himself and the sofa. “You need to pivot that way.” Cas makes a swirly motion with his hands. It’s just as unhelpful as Gabriel.

“Is this what we’re doing instead of a game night?” Jo asks appearing at the bottom landing.

Charlie waves a hand in the general direction of the sofa. “Whose bright idea was this?” 

“His,” Dean and Cas say simultaneously, each cocking their head toward the other. 

“Of course it was.” Charlie laughs. 

Jo leans to the side to examine the goings on. “Is it stuck? It looks stuck.”

“No, it’s not stuck,” Dean says angrily. He attempts to move his end of the sofa to show her just how not stuck it is, but it doesn’t budge. He heaves again, expecting Sam to protest, but nothing happens, so he lets go of it altogether. 

Sam panics, using all his strength to hold the sofa up so it doesn’t go caroming down the stairs, crushing everyone. It’s easier than he anticipated, so he lets up a bit. The sofa is indeed wedged, the bottom of it a good three inches from the top of the nearest step. 

“Good job guys,” Jo says. Charlie nudges her in the ribs. “What? They’re the idiots that got it stuck, not me.”

“Not helping,” Dean barks. 

Gabriel snuggles next to Sam, who kisses the top of his head and then Emma’s. “What happened to the diagram you drew, Cas? I thought that was gonna make everything alright.”

“Gabe -” Cas starts testily. 

“I’m just saying, jeeze.” 

“You have a diagram?” Charlie asks.

Cas fumbles in his pocket for it. “Here,” he says extracting the paper. He opens it and she peers at it. “This is how it was supposed to go. See? That’s Sam, there’s the couch, and that’s me….”

Jo leans over Charlie’s shoulder and points at a smudge. “What’s that?”

“That’s Dean.”

Charlie’s eyes go wide. “Someone won the boyfriend lottery!”

“That’s my arm,” Cas says. A slight blush creeps into his cheeks.

“Oh, thank God,” Jo says. “I thought Dean really,  _ really  _ liked the couch.”

Gabe makes a gagging noise as Cas snatches the paper back and shoves it in his pocket. “Well, no one followed the diagram, so now it’s stuck.”

“Daddy needed to pivot, didn’t he?” Gabe asks Emma. She laughs at him. “See? She agrees with me.”

“What are we doing now?” Sam asks. “It can’t say here.”

Everyone is silent for a moment and then explode with ideas all at once. The one idea that sticks is the one where Sam keeps hold of his end while Dean and Cas try to wiggle it free. The hope is that when it comes loose, Sam’s freakish strength will keep the sofa from falling back and crushing Dean and Cas. 

“Okay. Then what?” It’s not an unreasonable question Charlie asks.

“Then we actually pay attention to the diagram,” Cas says. Every one of his friends snorts in derision. “Assholes.”

It takes a good fifteen minutes of pushing and pulling and wiggling and nudging, but they finally manage to get the sofa free of the corner, Sam’s strength indeed keeping it from falling. 

They try again, Charlie and Jo offering a bit of help from below, while Gabe gives helpful tips from above. 

“See?” Cas says. He is in the middle of the sofa now, supporting the back while Sam is still at the top and Dean at the bottom. “This is gonna go now. There we go.  Up-up-up! Up! Yes! Here we go! Pivot!”

“I told you,” Gabe says. 

“Pivot! Piv-ot! Piv-et!! Piv-ett!!! Piv-et!” Cas cries. 

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Dean snaps at him. 

“It’s not gonna pivot anymore,” Sam says. 

“You think?” Jo says.

But the sofa manages to make the turn in the end. And the next and the next. Once they figured out that first turn, it made the next two easier, and the sofa is now sitting outside Cas and Dean’s apartment. Dean, Cas, and Sam flop down on it, exhausted.

“Your daddies are silly, aren’t they?” Gabe asks Emma. 

“The silliest of sillies,” Charlie agrees, cooing at her as well. 

As the boys rest, Jo fishes out her key and opens the door. “Almost there, guys.” She pushes the door open, leans inside and flicks on the light.

“She has a key?” Cas asks. 

“Uh huh,” is all Dean manages to say. 

“Since when? Why didn’t I know this?”

“Since about 1985,” Jo says. “I’ve always had Dean’s emergency key.”

Sam reaches into his pocket for his keyring. “And I’ve got Jo’s,” he says.

“Come on guys,” Charlie says clapping her hands. “One more door and you can collapse properly while we make fun of you for being old.”

“Good plan,” Gabe agrees.

Dean flips them the bird.

“Beer, Winchester,” Jo says. “Once this thing is inside, you can have a beer.”

The sofa klatch manage to stand one more time, Sam and Dean resuming their positions on each end. “Ready?” Sam asks. 

“Yeah. Let’s do this.” 

They hoist the sofa up and maneuver it at an angle so the back slips through the doorway first, followed by the legs. Everyone who’s not helping claps that they got it through without much fanfare. Even Emma claps at her daddy and uncle. 

Once it’s inside the apartment, putting it where it’s supposed to go is easy. They set it down, give it a couple of pushes to get it perfect, and Cas declares it set. Sam and Dean sit down, Cas sitting in between them, snuggling up to Dean. 

“Ugh, Cas, no,” Dean says pushing him away. “I’m hot and sweaty. Get off of me.”

“Fine,” he says. “I’ll just cuddle Sam instead.” He leans over to Sam who welcomes him with open arms. “Gabe, why didn’t you tell me Sam’s such a good snuggler?”

“You’ve got your own brother,” Gabe says. “It’s not my fault he doesn’t want you right now.”

Jo reaches toward Emma and the girl does the same, making Gabriel falter to keep a hold on her for a moment. “Whoa, there, kiddo,” she says taking Emma from him. “You didn’t want to be with Uncle Gabe anyway, right? Girls rule.” Emma laughs.

“Way to teach gender bias,” Gabe quips. 

“You shush,” Jo says. “It’s best she learns early on how to fight the patriarchy. Isn’t that right, Emmy?”

“Sam, would you stop cuddling my mate?” Dean pouts. 

“Are you gonna be nice to him?”

“I’m right here, guys,” Cas says.

“What prompted the sofa buying anyway,” Charlie asks diverting any non-existant tension away from them.

“Old Blue popped a spring last week,” Dean says, shuddering at the memory. 

“Popped him in the ass,” Sam laughs.

“So you went right out and bought the ugliest sofa you could find,” Charlie asks.

“Sit on it,” Cas says, patting the spot between he and Dean. “You won’t care how ugly it is.”

Charlie takes a step to the sofa. “There is no way that -” she flops onto the sofa “-oh my God.”

“Right?” Dean asks. 

“Jo, you’ve got to try this thing.” Charlie motions for her to join the crowd on the sofa. 

“Someone’s gotta move,” Jo replies. There’s like an inch and a half of space left on it.”

“I’m up,” Cas says, standing. “I need something to drink anyway.”  He motions for Jo to sit with a flourish of his hand and an over exaggerated bow.

Jo sits with a little more care than the rest of them since she’s holding Emma. “Oh, fuck,” she says as she sinks into the cushion. She flinches as she realizes she just swore in front of the baby. “Sorry, Emmy.”

“Nothing she hasn’t heard from me already,” Dean says, holding out his arms for his daughter. “Is that right, Kiddo?”

“So are we doing this?” Gabe asks, clapping his hands together. “What are we starting with tonight?”

“How about something easy,” Sam suggests. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m tired.”

“You’re welcome,” Gabe says waggling his eyebrows. 

“Ew,” Jo says. “How about  _ Apples to Apples? _ ”

“And pizza,” Dean says.

Emma claps her hands in agreement. 

“Done,” Cas says pulling out his phone. He calls the place around the corner and places their usual order. 

It’s their first game night in weeks, and it feels, to all of them, like coming home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. Readers, this is the end of the journey. Life returns to normal for our friends, and it will continue to go on for them after this fic. Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with it even if there were pieces/parts you didn't always like/want to read. You're amazing. I love you each, I love you all. 
> 
> Much love to [PowerfulWeak](http://www.powerfulweak.tumblr.com), [Winjennster](http://www.winjennster.tumblr.com), [Metatron-The-Transformer](http://www.metatron-the-transformer.com), for beta love, promos, and cheerleading. The biggest thanks of all, however, goes to [MeanGreenLimaBean](http://www.meangreenlimabean.com) for planting the seed for this story in the first place.

**Author's Note:**

> My [Tumblr](http://www.trekchik.tumblr.com). I'm nice. I promise.


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